The Generosity of Delegation
On Talking Story this month we are learning a new Hawaiian value, one that I do speak of quite a bit in Managing with Aloha, but in the way it compliments the other values and fortifies them; it was not given its’ own chapter for separate consideration. In some ways that seems very fitting, for it is about the value that by nature, is about giving. It is Lokomaika‘i, the value of generosity.
Loko is the word for heart, and maika‘i means good, so the word literally translates to being of good heart, a wonderful way to think of generosity, don’t you think?
Within our Ho‘ohana on Talking Story, we have talked of such things as the Generosity of Silence, the Generosity of Listening, and the Generosity of Laughter. True to the Aloha Intent of management however, the aspect of Lokomaika‘i which normally first comes to mind for me is with the art of delegation.
Delegation generous? Oh yes! When you delegate in the right way and with the right intention. When you delegate only when doing it “of good heart.”
For a manager, empowerment and awarding ownership should be thought of as the overwhelmingly positive case for delegation. When you delegate well, you empower others and allow them entry into your circle of influence. In doing so, you achieve two things: First, you offer your faith, trust and confidence to be placed in someone else, and second, you open up your own capacity to embrace newness or additional growth yourself.
Let’s take a look at how the carefully chosen tasks a manager thoughtfully and selectively delegates could be looked at by their subordinates who accept them, subordinates just itching to grab hold of that brass ring of new opportunity.
There is a gift you give someone when you delegate worthwhile work. Something which is a lower priority for you, or just another round of the proven routine you wear like comfortable old clothes, becomes another’s opportunity to show you what they can do.
Again, we have to look at this from the perspective of the employee who has never had a shot at trying to do the things you consider to be old hat, things which quite possibly are their ticket to inside information, an escalated learning curve, and best of all, the chance to prove they are worthy of your trust and faith in them.
When you agree to be held accountable for something, you are making a promise to deliver, and there is real self-empowerment simply in making that promise, whether it is to yourself or to someone else. A spoken promise is this wonderful obligation you hang within your own reach, begging to be “made good on.” When you make a promise you are putting your good word at stake, and with the actions you then take to deliver on your word you have created your self-worth and your value to others. You have built upon your reputation, coming full circle to growing the credibility of your word when you next speak. You have accepted responsibility, you have been held accountable, and you are transformed, the engineer of your own growth and self-development.
Quite an incredible gift, so why don’t managers do this more for the people they manage?
If you are a manager, please spend some time thinking about this. What are you holding onto and doing yourself, perhaps without even realizing it, just humming along on auto-pilot, which could be given as the gift of growth and transformation to someone else?
In Managing with Aloha, we talk about this in the chapter on Kuleana, one’s personal sense of responsibility. For an employee, their capacity grows for Kuleana when they have a manager who is generous with awarding faith and trust. Delegate in a way that affords people empowering new opportunity, and you will be Lokomaika‘i, managing with good heart.
----------Related posts from our July Ho‘ohana on Talking Story:
Our July Ho‘ohana: Lokomaika‘i
The Generosity of Silence
The Generosity of Laughter
The Generosity of Listening
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