Even Superheroes Need a Hand

by Chellie Mejia, B.Sc.

I have what my mother likes to call a “super hero” complex.  I can remember being put into group projects in high school and feeling terrified at the notion that my grade would be dependent on everyone else’s work.  I like being in control and I like the satisfaction that comes with accomplishing tasks on my own, with little to no help.  But as my business started to grow and the little things started to pile up, it became an impossibility to expect to handle every task on my own.  I had to teach myself to get past my pride and begin to acknowledge and respect the talent that my team brought to the table.

Through this process, I’ve learned that delegation really is a win-win situation when executed properly.  It’s not as easy as one would think; there is a significant amount of start-up effort involved and it isn’t as simple as just telling people what to do.  To be honest, it would probably be a lot easier for me to design my own flyers and draft my own invoices since I know the ins and outs of everything that should be represented.  I could probably recite our client ID numbers in my sleep!  But at some point, it becomes a decision as to what is the most effective use of everyone’s time?  And probably more importantly, how can I meaningfully involve my team in this project so that everyone’s skills and abilities are used to their fullest potential and everyone feels like any successes or accomplishments gained are their own?

That being said, I’ve also had to learn that there is no guarantee that the tasks I delegate will actually be executed effectively or according to my sometimes very specific vision.  Often it’s meant me realizing that my vision is not necessarily the only right vision, but sometimes it’s also meant understanding that individuals need room to grow and the chance to make mistakes and to improve and learn through the process. 

It’s essentially my responsibility to make sure that everyone understands the desired outcome and understands constraints and boundaries.  Accountability stops with me.  I’ve found that, although I like the control of being able to look at a person’s skill sets and match that with the amount of responsibility delegated to them, where possible it has proven more effective to empower my team to decide what tasks they would like to take on themselves.  I’m always there to provide support and to answer questions, especially on larger projects where everyone is handling a different aspect and communication is imperative to overall success.

As a result, my success has not been single-handed, but an incredible collaboration of skills, talents, and ideas that have propelled me (and I hope my teammates) to higher levels of confidence and accountability and, eventually, even bigger successes.

Image courtesy of Microsoft Office.