Managers, Are You Delegating Too Much?

When managers delegate too often, their employees feel abandoned and unmotivated. There are a number of warning signs that you over-delegate, from miscommunicating with your team, to hearing about issues at the last minute, to misunderstanding how your employees set priorities. But the solution isn’t to overcorrect and start doing a bunch of low-level tasks. One approach is to signal that you’re reengaging by taking on a project that’s closely tied to your team’s work. Another is to reset expectations with your team. Use an offsite or planning meeting to reconfirm the vision for the department and get everyone on the same page about goals. It’s also a good idea to double down on communicating your vision for the team. Use every opportunity to stress and reinforce the message. You can remind people about the overarching vision at the beginning of a project, during town halls and other forums, or periodically through email.

Adapted from "How to Tell If You’re Delegating Too Much — and What to Do About It," by Anne Sugar

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Helping an Employee Who’s Struggling with Postpartum Depression

Going back to work is tough for any new parent, but the transition is especially difficult for those suffering from postpartum depression. (Remember, postpartum depression affects both women and men.) If you manage someone who has recently had a baby, pay close attention to how they’re doing — a parent’s struggle doesn’t always show on the outside. Some people may overcompensate by working too hard, while others may show a loss of enthusiasm. Familiarize yourself with the services your firm offers — which may include groups for working parents, health care coverage for counseling, or post-natal yoga or meditation classes — so that you can help your employee access support. Offer options such as flex time, telecommuting, gradual return, or peer mentoring. In fact, it’s a good idea to offer these things to all team members so that the new parent doesn’t feel singled out. Find ways to make supporting employees and their mental health part of your culture. Adapted from " What Managers...

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If Your Team Is Overwhelmed, What Can They Stop Doing?

Project overload is real. But as a leader, it can be hard to tell whether your team needs more resources or just could be working more efficiently. Start by asking people to identify their key activities and how much time they spend on them in a typical week. Use that data to assess workloads and priorities. Consider which tasks the team could stop doing and which might benefit from having their process rethought. Pay special attention to low-value projects that have to get done but that take up an inordinate amount of time. Are there ways to simplify the workflows to reduce the amount of time your team spends in these areas? And last but not least, look for tasks that simply can be done more quickly. If your team is still struggling after these steps, it might be time to hire more people. Adapted from “What to Do If Your Team Is Too Busy to Take On New Work,” by Dutta Satadip

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