During your time in student government, you will more than likely be put into a leadership position where you are assigned to complete a large task. Delegating keeps individuals from burning out. You develop new leaders to prevent the group from becoming dependent on one or two seniors (who will soon be graduating!) You projects can become bigger and better, will finish faster, and will be done without the mountain of stress weighing you down.
Here are five helpful steps to delegating to ensure you can conquer any project!
Step 1: Evaluate your large task to see where it can be broken down into simpler ones. Break those simple tasks down too!
Level the different tasks on their level of difficulty
Think about amount of time it will take, resources needed, if it has been done before
Look at how many people you will need to complete each task ON TIME
Look at how many people you actually have
Make sure each and every task follows ‘SMART’
Step 2: Assign the smaller tasks
Don’t just randomly assign people to a task
See what individuals are interested in. People will give 100% if they really have interest in a section of a project
Be careful assigning difficult tasks. If you know someone is never finishes a project, don’t have them build the boat for the annual boat cruise. Have them help out in a different way.
Consult the chart and think about what skills each of your group members have
Different tasks require different skills (art, woodworking, taking to your principal)
Step 3: Create Accountability
It is the responsibility of the taskforce you assign to finish their part of the project
Give them the support and freedom they need to work
DO NOT MICROMANAGE!!!
Micromanagement is just you doing all of the work by yourself – blegh
Don’t ask why a project is not done (people are good with excuses). Instead, ask when they will have it done. They are still responsible for the task and they should know it
Step 4: Communicate
Texting, email, Facebook, Twitter, or even the dreaded… face to face. Your groups should be communicating on a consistent basis with you and with each other about what is going on.
This helps build accountability and shows you who is working and who is not
When help is needed for a certain task, you’ll know immediately and can provide the support needed
This allows all members to see the big picture and how important their piece of the puzzle is to the project
Step 5: Say Thanks
YOU SHOULD BE THANKING THOSE WHO HELPED YOU!
They made the impossible happen and allowed you to keep you sanity
Order some pizza and go do some team bonding stuff
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