Jon Bock - Development Tech Blog

In the fast-paced world of technology, managers are often caught between the demands of immediate project delivery and the long-term growth of their teams. Delegation is not just a task management tool but a strategic skill that, when executed well, can lead to significant improvements in team efficiency, innovation, and morale. Here's how technology managers can master the art of delegation:

Understand the Importance of Delegation

Delegation allows technology managers to focus on strategic planning and high-level management tasks, while also empowering team members to develop new skills and take on more responsibilities. It's essential for scalability and sustainability in any technology-driven environment. It also provides reports with the opportunity to step up and, on occasion, move out of their comfort zone with challenging tasks. This also adds to their sense of contribution and points to the end of year conversations.

Identify Delegate-able Tasks

Start by identifying tasks that you can delegate. These can include repetitive tasks, tasks that you're not an expert in but have team members who are, and tasks that offer growth opportunities for your team. The key is to retain oversight of critical decision-making processes while entrusting your team with the execution of specific tasks. On some occasions, you will have to decide whether to approach this from a push or pull perspective, either by deciding if you need to give more of a guided approach, or by defining the objectives and outcomes and letting them decide on the path to get there themselves.

Choose the Right Person for the Task

Delegation is not about offloading work to anyone who is available. It's about recognising the strengths and development needs of your team members and aligning tasks accordingly. Consider the skills required for the task and match them with the competencies and career matrix aspirations of your team members. Decide on what opportunities this brings to the person, either improving their strengths or creating an area for development.

Set Clear Expectations

One of the most common reasons delegation fails is the lack of clear instructions and expectations. When delegating, be explicit about what success looks like, the deadline, and any constraints or guidelines. Use the SMART framework to define objectives clearly: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound.

Empower and Trust Your Team

Effective delegation requires trust. Empower your team members by giving them the autonomy to approach tasks in their own way, within the boundaries you've set. This trust can motivate them to take ownership and deliver their best work.

Provide Resources and Support

Ensure that your team has the tools, resources, and support they need to successfully complete the tasks. This could include access to specific software, training, or even mentorship from another team member. You will also need to ensure that the WHAT is clearly defined for them so they know what they are trying to achieve. There may and will also be the need to network reports to people who may have answers to the product and development questions within the team or among the wider pillar(s)

Monitor Progress and Offer Feedback

Set up regular check-ins to monitor progress, offer guidance, and adjust deadlines or resources as necessary. Provide constructive feedback throughout the process, and recognise and celebrate achievements to keep your team motivated. Its probably good to set up working groups for larger projects, or define regular short calendar slots for updates to be made if required. I have often also found it good to document progress in something like confluence, where project progress is visible, up to date and also offers historical tracking for reference.

Learn and Adjust

Reflect on the outcomes of your delegation efforts. What worked well? What could be improved? Use these insights to refine your approach to delegation, tailoring your strategy to fit the evolving needs of your team and projects.

Conclusion

Effective delegation is a critical skill for technology managers looking to enhance team productivity and foster a culture of trust and growth. By identifying the right tasks to delegate, setting clear expectations, and providing the necessary support, you can empower your team to take on new challenges and contribute to the success of your projects. Remember, delegation is not just about task management; it's about leadership and developing the potential of your team.

Why are 1:1 meetings important?

One to one meetings are an essential part of management for all companies large or small, they provide a way for managers to connect with their reports. Its always a good idea to prioritize one to ones in our calendars and ensure that there is a regular space that can be allocated for the private conversations.

Together with each member of your team, reserve thirty to sixty minutes once a week or twice a week to talk about the timetable. This will help you stay on track. Do not allow yourself to feel hemmed in by the confines of a conference room; instead, propose taking a break from the office to go for a stroll or grab a cup of coffee.

While some managers like to schedule their one-on-one meetings on a specific day of the week, others prefer to spread out their meetings throughout the week so that they may maintain the highest possible mental presence. One advantage of scheduling meetings on the same day as one another is that it makes it easier to identify connections between the various activities being carried out by your team. Determine whatever method is most effective for you, then construct your timetable so that it returns the most information to your reports.

The one-on-one meeting is the most effective method for managers and the people who report to them to connect on important matters, build a solid connection, and guarantee that employees feel as though they are working toward their goals, both in the workplace and in other aspects of their lives.

However, if you do not have an appropriate framework, agenda, and mindset for the 1:1 encounter, it is possible that it will become just another meeting in your day. Here is our strategic strategy for making the one-on-one meeting the most important meeting you attend, whether you are a manager or an individual contributor.

In 1:1 meetings a manager sits down with an employee for the purpose of having a dialogue that can go in any direction and is planned in advance. The one-on-one meeting, as opposed to the status report or the tactical meeting, is an opportunity for coaching, mentoring, providing perspective, or even just venting. The one-on-one meeting goes beyond merely having an open door policy and instead sets aside time on a consistent cadence for leaders and their teams to engage with one another and communicate.

There isn't just one approach to set up a one-on-one meeting. The emotional requirements of people you manage, the nature of your relationship with the team member, and the degree of experience they have all play a role in determining the most effective method to plan your meetings so that they are productive.

The creation of an environment in which individuals may talk freely about the topics and worries that are on their minds is the most essential component of a productive one-on-one meeting. The employee is the primary focus of these discussions, and their presence is absolutely necessary.

 

Managers approach to 1:1

Each manager will have their own approach and ability to add their own personality and style to their one to ones. Start your one-on-one meeting with an open-ended question. This lets the most important and important-to-me topics rise to the top. Here are some questions you might try:

How are you feeling? (Open ended to see how the report is feeling, as well as to look for hidden signs in their tone and words; there may be hidden signals to their mental state as well, which may necessitate additional questions and care.)

What did you learn last week / since we last talked? (Another open-ended question that will look for good and bad things they have learned; this may also provide insight into good and bad things they have learned.)

What are you most looking forward to?

What do you worry about the most?

 

Reports approach to 1:1

Take each meeting with your line manager seriously; this is your dedicated space where you can address concerns and learn about new information. Make notes during the week to remind yourself of topics to discuss and to ensure that your meeting runs smoothly. This is also a place to provide feedback/brag notes, letting your line manager know about the good things you've done so they're visible and not forgotten. If, like me, you are not involved in the day-to-day grunt work with the team, this is an excellent opportunity to let the management know about the excellent work you have been doing.

Another important aspect of this is managing up, where feedback and improvements can be fed back to management to improve processes and highlight any issues that can be identified early.