Allow freedom and autonomy with accountability. Cultivated Management newsletter.
Hi all,
This week's newsletter is a little later than usual, mostly because we had hack-a-thon this week and even though I've moved sideways from DevOps to HR we still took part. Less code, but still hacking information around.
I'll write about hack-a-thon next week on the blog. This week though it is all about delegation partially inspired by a lovely email from one of the Cultivated Management readers, and partly inspired by stories of micromanagement.
How to retain accountability whilst providing freedom and autonomy to your directs.
A manager that tells people what to do and how to do it will have a team that always need to be told what to do and how to do it.
Good people will leave.
Good people want autonomy to do the right thing, to learn how to do new and exciting work in their own style and to achieve success without micro-management.
As a manager though, you are accountable for all the work in your team, therefore you need checkpoints throughout the process. You need to understand the work and you may even need to approve or sign off the work.
Other people may be responsible for delivering the work, but you are accountable. Delegation is not washing your hands of the work.
One useful way to allow autonomy and freedom to your team whilst still keeping your accountability is to use the 90/10 time principle.
Not sure where I heard this first, it's not my original idea, but it is useful.
In a nutshell you take 10% of the estimated time (of course, nothing can be predicted entirely) and your team have the other 90%.
How you split that time is entirely up to you but I typically work on the following two ideas:
5% upfront to explain the goal, delivery expectations and any reporting guidelines. This enables the team to get on-board, get fired up about the goals and to ask clarifying questions.
90% of the time for the team to use their freedom and autonomy to get the job done.
5% of the time at the end to run through demos, presentations or any approval that needs doing.
The other model I like it less simple to explain, but I believe more effective.
I do the same 5% upfront but I blend the other 5% of time in with the 90% delivery through daily stand-ups, regular catch-ups or other on-going conversations about delivery.
I prefer the second model because work naturally widens, unravels or expands as more is discovered about it, it's why we run a hybrid agile/kanban in our HR team right now. As work changes it gives regular touch points for the team to feedback or seek support.
I like to stay out of the way of my team and leave them to it - but this only works if your team know they can check in or chat to you if they need it, and of course if they know what they are expected to deliver.
It's very different to delegating work in to the team and washing your hands of it. This rarely works. And it's also very different to delegating work and then micromanaging. The former leaves a bad taste in people's mouths as they realise you're not supporting them or taking ownership. The latter is just so draconian it's surprising that people still think this works. Both tend to lead to disengagement. Both are sadly, still common.
Set your expectations, get people fired up, get clarity over delivery and then support people through their own journey of implementing it. This will lead to higher levels of engagement, more autonomy and people will grow through their careers this way.
Have a great weekend.
Until next time.
Rob..