Delegating Effectively: A Leader's Guide to Getting Things Done

When Things Go Wrong

Sometimes, despite all your preparation and discussions during the delegation process, things go wrong. How will you handle this? Will you scream at the assignee? Will you avoid confrontation? Will you seek to place blame on the assignee? Or will you try to find out what happened, why it happened, and what needs to be done to fix it? Good leaders engage their employees in these conversations—not to impose blame but to reinforce trust and find better ideas. Using a calm voice and manner, help the assignee see what happened and point out ways to fix the problem.

Good coaching skills are essential for effective delegation. The ...