Team Dynamics and Delegation

There are a lot dynamics at work in teams and small businesses. Individual personalities, differing viewpoints and communication styles.

A consultant named George called me recently and admitted that he was really frustrated with his administrative team. He kept saying they couldn’t seem to get him the information he needed. That they weren’t engaged in their work, and that most of all, they had no urgency around his business – especially his VIP clients.

“I want to hire you to manage my administrative assistants,” he said.

After I gently explained to him that that wasn’t quite what I do, I asked him to tell me more about his staff issue.

He sighed and gave me a dozen examples of fires he had to put out, details he had to chase, and tasks he ended up doing that he thought his administrative staff should be able to handle.

As I asked more questions, we reviewed his office procedures, what he needed, and what was working (or not). He gave me a tour of the office and right away I noticed the clutter that blanketed his floor, desk, chair, and credenza – it occupied every flat surface, spilled out into the hall, and into another vacant office.

Next, I interviewed his assistants. They felt like George wasn’t sharing enough information with them. They didn’t understand who the VIP clients were. And they felt like George didn’t trust them to do their jobs – when they asked him a question, rather than answering it, he just took the task away from them and did it himself.

Ah, communication! Sometimes we have it – and sometimes we don’t!

After asking George to clearly define what a successfully working team would look like, I gathered George and his team, we picked the top three income streams for his office, prioritized them, and dug into the details.

I created procedure manuals, charts, checklists, and delegation assignments. We invited his staff to give their input, fill in any missing information, and make suggestions for improvement.

In the process, George realized each of his assistants had been missing pieces of information crucial to getting their jobs done.

By digging into the details, filling in the gaps, and documenting the steps, I created assignments and noted the “can’t miss” deadlines and milestones. We listed and prioritized the VIP clients. And through this process, I was able to get everyone working toward the same goal with focus and with urgency. George was no longer involved in the details of managing those income streams and income was being generated faster.

And George’s VIP clients? They are now being treated with the attention they deserve.