This is part of a series of business development action tools created by Anthony Davis of Brightwater Business Coaching,
guiding you to develop an even better business than you have today. Take actions recommended and
watch your business thrive.
Delegate, Abdicate or ??? … Understand the Difference
Recently I have been asked about the subject of delegation ...
Delegate, Abdicate or ???
The question to ask yourself is, “What role does delegation play in my business?”
Often there is no clearly defined role for delegation and this results in the people being ‘delegated
to’ feeling like there is abdication not delegation.
The Oxford Dictionary definitions of these two words are interesting. Abdicate means to ‘fail to
fulfill or undertake a duty’ from the Latin ‘abdicare’ which means to ‘renounce, refuse to
recognise, or abandon’. Delegate on the other hand means to ‘authorise someone to act as a
representative’.
You can delegate authority but not responsibility …
At Brightwater we suggest that you can delegate ‘authority’ but you cannot delegate
‘responsibility’. You can authorise someone to do the task for you but this does not free you of
the responsibility for the task or the result of the task.
In most instances the person delegating a task simply ‘wipes their hands’ of the responsibility.
This is generally why the delegatee feels like there has been ‘abdication’.
In the Brightwater Business Analysis©1 two of the questions asked often reveal the nature of
delegation/abdication in a business.
The first question is, “Are staff given responsibility to make decisions?” To which most people
respond YES. The second question is, “Have job descriptions been prepared for all personnel?” To
which most respond NO.
So herein lies the conundrum for most managers wanting to ‘free’ themselves of the things they
‘don’t want to have to do’. Delegate, Abdicate or create a system where you ‘drive responsibility
down into your business’.
[1] The Brightwater Business Analysis© is a purpose designed tool to enable you to take a ‘snapshot view’ of your business. It
is the first step of the Brightwater Management and Business Development Program. If you would like to experience the power of
this program and its affect on your business, simply call Alan Bridge on 07 3367 0967 to discuss how it can work for you in your
business.
For further details regarding this article or to receive your free subscription to regular business publications, simply email
your Name, Company Name and Day Time Phone number, quoting this publication to [email protected].
Brightwater Business Coaching has a series of Business Development Tools to assist you in becoming a better manager of
your business.
Drive responsibility down into your business …
Delegation should be seen as the opportunity for someone to prove to you that they have the
ability to undertake and complete a task without the total responsibility for the outcome. Once
they have done that successfully several times, you can then invite them to ‘step-up to a higher
level of responsibility’ and include it in their Role/Job Description.
They now accept the responsibility for the previously delegated task, and you have effectively
‘driven responsibility down into your business’.
I can’t find people who can do it as good as me …
There is only one solution for this often heard catch-cry of small business owners and it is the
challenge that all face and few master. The only solution is to ‘document’ all that you know.
This is without doubt the hardest part of all business development and yet it doesn’t have to be
this way. Most businesses are started by ‘technicians’ who have no skills in this area and no
willingness to seek expert assistance to achieve a successful outcome.
Take a step-by-step approach …
Taking a step-by-step approach is the best way. Plan where you want to go; what your business
will look like; what roles other people will play in the future of your business; document your
plan; document all of the processes and policies of your business (including Role Descriptions);
become a training organisation and enjoy a business that ‘works for you so you don’t have to
work for it’.
As always, your feedback on this article is welcome.
Anthony Davis and the Brightwater Team
For further details regarding this article or to receive your free subscription to regular business publications, simply email
your Name, Company Name and Day Time Phone number, quoting this publication to [email protected].
Brightwater Business Coaching has a series of Business Development Tools to assist you in becoming a better manager of
your business.