“Sink or swim,”
that was what one of my managers told me.
He “delegated” a project to me
and then walked away.
Completely.
I was a contract employee,
brand new to the company,
without connections,
without deep knowledge
of how the company worked,
and my manager was MIA,
refusing to meet with me.
I struggled.
I didn’t have employee support
because my manager’s hands-off approach
signaled I didn’t have HIS support.
I wasted precious time.
I made big mistakes.
I almost quit.
I ended up succeeding
but barely
and I vowed never
to take another contract position
at that company again.
Delegation is NOT the same
as abdication.
As Professor George Kohlrieser shares
“Clearly, leaders need to delegate tasks.
Yet delegation should not mean
emotional detachment.
Leaders who assign tasks
and walk away
with a completely hands off approach
abandon their people.
Good delegation relies on
continued connection and accessibility.
You can maintain
a sense of connection
by signaling that you are willing
to be available.”
Delegate
but support the employee
you’re delegating to.