Handle reverse delegation

"Reverse delegation" is when someone you've delegated an assignment to wants to return the job to you or expects you to solve problems that come up.

When you see signs of reverse delegation, resist any temptation to take back the delegated assignment or solve the problems your employee brings to you. Instead, take the opportunity to build trust and confidence in your employee:

• Provide positive reinforcement for the work done so far.

• Help them assess the situation.

• Confirm your confidence in the employee's ability to make decisions.

• Encourage them to come up with a solution.

• Provide coaching as needed to help them strengthen their new skills.

To discourage reverse delegation, develop your employees initiative. You can do so by reminding them of the decision-making authority you've granted.

Try these additional ideas for developing direct reports' initiatives:

• Examine your motives. Some managers secretly worry that if they encourage their direct reports to take more initiative, they'll appear weak, vulnerable, and not useful. To combat these worries, cultivate an inward sense of security and confidence. You'll free yourself to let go of direct control and support employees' growth.

• Make appointments to deal with problems. Avoid discussing any problem on an ad hoc basis—for example, when you pass a subordinate in the hallway. You won't convey the proper seriousness. Instead, schedule an appointment to discuss the issue.

• Agree on a status update. After deciding how to proceed on a problem, agree on a time and place when the employee will give you a progress report.

• Build employees' skills. Sometimes employees try to reverse a delegated assignment if they lack the skills to handle the work. So use coaching or training to help them develop needed skills. It's initially more time-consuming than tackling problems yourself. But it saves time in the long run.

• Foster trust. If your employees are afraid of failing, they'll keep bringing their problems to you rather than trying to solve them on their own. To promote trust, reassure them that it's safe to make mistakes.

Only in rare cases will you want to take back a delegated assignment. Do so only if you see major problems; for example:

• Critical deadlines will be missed if you don't take the assignment back

• Failure to meet agreed-upon goals will jeopardize other important projects

• Serious mistakes could cause the organization to lose a highly profitable customer or render a product or service unsafe