151 Quick Ideas for Delegating and Decision Making

151 Quick Ideas for Delegating and Decision Making

Released October 2007
Publisher(s): Career Press
ISBN: 9781564149619

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Book description

Research and experience demonstrate two areas with which many new managers are completely unfamiliar: delegating tasks and work, and making decisions. Some struggle with this for years.

But it doesn’t have to be hard. 151 Quick Ideas for Delegating and Decision Making combines 50 years’ experience of two managers, and the experiences of other managers who have been interviewed and observed.

Each real world idea has been tried and tested. The best ones are here, in an easy to understand form for you to use. Select those that fit your particular circumstance, for example:

• Start with the End in Mind

• Know which decisions to make when

• Avoid group think

• Show them, don’t tell them

• Put confidence in competence

• Give credit and reward success

And even if you are already in a supervisory position, this book can help you do a more effective and efficient job at managing people and tasks.

Robert E. Dittmer, APR, is author of 151 Quick Ideas to Manage Your Time. He has served as a Director of Media Relations for NATO and the U.S. Army, and has owned and operated public relations agencies for more than 15 years, teaching and counseling leaders on better decision-making and delegation skills. He and his wife live in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Stephanie McFarland is an 18-year veteran of the public relations profession. She has been a supervisor at Fortune 500 corporations, non-profit organizations, and government agencies. McFarland has won numerous awards for her project and operational management skills. She, her husband, and her daughter live in Indianapolis.

Table of contents

  1. Cover Page
  2. Title page
  3. Copyright Page
  4. Contents
  5. How to Use This Book
  6. Introduction
  7. 1. What Is a Decision?
  8. 2. Decisions as Remedies
  9. 3. Decisions as Avenues to Progress
  10. 4. Making the Decision: Is It Yours to Make?
  11. 5. A Key Question: Why Are You Making This Decision?
  12. 6. Decisions to Save Face
  13. 7. Decisions to Gain Prestige
  14. 8. Decisions to Fit In
  15. 9. Decisions to Get Promoted
  16. 10. Is It Soley Your Decision to Make?
  17. 11. Do You Need to Share the Decision With Someone Else?
  18. 12. Consulting the Key Players27
  19. 13. Do You Need a Consensus?
  20. 14. Is Consensus Decision Making Right for Your Situation?
  21. 15. When Consensus Is the Answer
  22. 16. When It’s Not
  23. 17. Know Your Decision-Making Style
  24. 18. Simple Decisions
  25. 19. What’s the Problem?
  26. 20. Covey Has It Right: Start With the End in Mind
  27. 21. Research Starts With the Ears
  28. 22. How to Listen Effectively
  29. 23. Techniques for Asking Questions
  30. 24. Think—Don’t React
  31. 25. Think Options!
  32. 26. Prioritize—Know What Decisions to Make When
  33. 27. Seek Input From Others—Even When It’s Soley Your Decision
  34. 28. Decisions to Save Face
  35. 29. Consult With Mentors, Veterans in Your Field, Company Experts, and Colleagues
  36. 30. Value Others’ Insight
  37. 31. Have a Brainstorm
  38. 32. Weighing Pros and Cons
  39. 33. There are No Mistakes, Only Lessons
  40. 34. Risk Is Good—Embrace It!
  41. 35. Leverage Risk for a Calculated Outcome
  42. 36. Avoid Making Decisions From Ego
  43. 37. Avoid Making Decisions Political
  44. 38. Avoid the Proverbial Knee-Jerk Reaction
  45. 39. Avoid Group Think
  46. 40. Group Think Is Manipulation—It’s Not Consensus
  47. 41. Remember the Organizational “Layers” Involved
  48. 42. Whoa! You’re Challenging the Status Quo?
  49. 43. When Culture Stands in the Way
  50. 44. Ambiguity—Applying the Law of Co-orientation
  51. 45. Look for the Win-Win Result
  52. 46. Decisions That Require a Strategy
  53. 47. The Law of Diminishing Returns
  54. 48. Banishing the “What Ifs”
  55. 49. Keep an Open Mind
  56. 50. Let Go of Assumptions
  57. 51. Let Go of Fear
  58. 52. See the Possibilities
  59. 53. Don’t Be Afraid of Conflict
  60. 54. Change Is a Natural Catalyst for Conflict
  61. 55. Change Is the Fuel of Progress
  62. 56. Don’t Take It Personally
  63. 57. Don’t Make It Personal
  64. 58. Handling Those Who Disagree
  65. 59. Base Your Decision on the Merits of the Proposal or Solution
  66. 60. Resist the Urge to Go With the First Option on the Table
  67. 61. Resist the Urge to Go With Very Limited Facts
  68. 62. Resist the Urge to Dismiss Problems That Require Dynamic Levels of Decisions
  69. 63. Do What’s Right!
  70. 64. Walking With Integrity
  71. 65. No Decision Is a Decision
  72. 66. Don’t Be a Buridan’s Ass
  73. 67. Take a Step Backward to Review
  74. 68. Sometimes You Need to Use Brakes
  75. 69. Comparing Outcomes With Goals and Objectives
  76. 70. Overcoming Mental Decision Blocks
  77. 71. Go Have Fun!
  78. 72. Sweat It Out!
  79. 73. Go Mindless!
  80. 74. Give It a Rest!
  81. 75. Try Some Theory
  82. 76. Who’s That Cheerleader in the Cute Outfit?
  83. 77. You Can Be a Cheerleader
  84. 78. Being Supportive of Other Decision Makers
  85. 79. Learn From Others’ Experiences
  86. 80. Respecting Differences of Opinion
  87. 81. Handling Other Decision Makers
  88. 82. Handling Those Affected by the Decision
  89. 83. Handling Your Own Staff
  90. 84. Be “Ask Assertive,” Not “Tell Assertive”
  91. 85. Show Them, Don’t Tell Them
  92. 86. When You Don’t Have the Final Decision
  93. 87. Power Versus Influence
  94. 88. Practicing Reason Over Rank for Better Decisions
  95. 89. Win-Win Is an Easy Sell
  96. 90. Evaluating Decisions
  97. 91. Evaluation Also Means Looking at People
  98. 92. Good Decisions Today Are Tomorrow’s Successes Replayed
  99. 93. Moving On—From Success and Failure
  100. 94. Defining Delegation
  101. 95. Delegation Versus Decision-Making
  102. 96. What Delegation Is Not
  103. 97. Organizational Culture—Are You Set Up to Succeed?
  104. 98. A Closer Look at Delegation
  105. 99. Delegating Sideways and Upward
  106. 100. Why Delegate?
  107. 101. But I’ll Be Giving up Power!
  108. 102. Get More Time to Get More Done
  109. 103. Make Quick, Quality Decisions
  110. 104. Employees Unite!
  111. 105. Encourage Employee Commitment
  112. 106. Teach a Man to Fish
  113. 107. Know Your Management Style
  114. 108. Develop Your Coaching Skills
  115. 109. They Like Me! They Really Like Me!
  116. 110. Popularity Is a Plus
  117. 111. Delegate to Improve Relationships
  118. 112. Authority Versus Responsibility
  119. 113. Show Them the Vision and the Rewards
  120. 114. Have a Game Plan
  121. 115. The “Who” and “What” of Delegation
  122. 116. Assessing the Team
  123. 117. Selling the Work
  124. 118. Make Your Optimism Obvious
  125. 119. Set Expectations
  126. 120. Set a Time Line
  127. 121. Follow Up
  128. 122. Confidence in Competence
  129. 123. Fight the Fear of Mistrust
  130. 124. The Big Decisions
  131. 125. Fight the Fear of Delegating the Bigger Decisions
  132. 126. Outline Specifically What You Want Done
  133. 127. Spread the Word
  134. 128. Don’t Jump at the First Sign of Trouble
  135. 129. Continue to Move Forward Even When Problems Arise
  136. 130. Have Employees Help Resolve Problems
  137. 131. Perfection Not Necessary
  138. 132. Organizational Rewards of Delegating
  139. 133. Your Rewards for Delegating
  140. 134. You Get Relieved of Workload
  141. 135. Greater Team Involvement
  142. 136. Better Results
  143. 137. Increased Team Loyalty
  144. 138. Enhanced Capabilities
  145. 139. Enhanced Self-Esteem
  146. 140. Enhanced Sense of Accomplishment
  147. 141. The Importance of Trust
  148. 142. Provide Training
  149. 143. Training for Trouble
  150. 144. Celebrate Success
  151. 145. Reward Success
  152. 146. Be Encouraging
  153. 147. Be More Than a Good Listener
  154. 148. Be a Mentor
  155. 149. Be a Resource
  156. 150. Don’t Delegate and Forget!
  157. 151. Make Delegation a Standard Operating Procedure
  158. Index
  159. About the Authors

Product information

  • Title: 151 Quick Ideas for Delegating and Decision Making
  • Author(s):
  • Release date: October 2007
  • Publisher(s): Career Press
  • ISBN: 9781564149619