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When you decide to delegate a task to someone, that person may see it as a welcome responsibility that shows your trust in him or her, or just another job to be added to an already burdensome workload. Which it is can depend largely on how well you communicate with the person during the actual delegation conversation.
Three aspects must be communicated and agreed upon right from the start in order to set up the delegated task for success:
• WHAT the task is. Define the task clearly. While you may decide to leave the process open to their discretion, you must make clear precisely what you want the end result to be.
• WHY you are delegating it to them. You should choose the person who will do the task based on their current competency or their ability to quickly attain the necessary competency. Explain this reasoning in the initial discussion.
• WHERE the task fits in the 'big picture' of your department or the company as a whole. People resent feeling they are just being given meaningless, unimportant jobs, but even a seemingly small task CAN have impact on a larger desired result --- it's your job to help them see that.
• WHEN it must be completed. Be clear not only about the final deadline date, but any interim stage points that must be reached by specific dates. These can be tied in with interim reporting to monitor the project in progress.
• WHAT resources are available. If expenditures will be necessary, tell them what the budget is and how they can access the money. If people are available for help or support, make sure all parties are aware of this. If training is needed, explain how it can be obtained.
The first step in the delegation process is to think it through clearly yourself to be sure you have all this information at your fingertips before you meet with the person. Next, explain each of the above points clearly. Finally, through discussion, ensure that the other person has the same understanding of the process as you do.
Delegation has benefits for both parties. When managers pass on tasks they have been doing themselves, they save time. When subordinates are entrusted with meaningful tasks and responsibilities, they are empowered.
It's a win for both, and for the organization as a whole.
The typical scenario many couples face goes something like this: you were both going about your lives and enjoying your relationship, when you started to notice that things between you were not quite the same as they used to be. Communication started to break down and things got off track. Never fear - it is possible to learn good communication skills to improve your marriage and rekindle your love.
Here are 4 concepts in clear communication within a marriage that can help you both dig yourselves out of your communication hole:
1 - Letting Go of the Need to be Right
Start by asking yourself these four questions:
- Are the issues that led to your communication breakdown really important enough to warrant such a rift in your relationship?
- Are the root causes of your recent problems even worth arguing about?
- By taking the particular stand or position that you have taken regarding these issues, do you really come out ahead in terms of your overall life goals and happiness?
- Could the potential outcome of this underlying issue substantially affect your life plans together in terms of finances, your sex life, your children, your home, or other potentially major aspect of your life?
If you answered "no" to any of these questions, the wisest thing to do at this point may be to drop the issue entirely so that you can both focus on getting to the heart of your communication issues. Many communication issues can be avoided if one or both of you can manage to take a softer stance on the issues that affect you most. Believe it or not, most argument are completely unnecessary and could be overcome if both of you could agree that it is more important to be loved than to be right.
2 - Avoid Playing into What You Think Your Partner Wants
The next key communication concept is that of worrying less about how your spouse is perceiving you or how they expect you to act. It does not make sense to work too hard at trying to be someone you are not. If you do, you will end up wasting your energy and you will not able to keep up your false appearances for long. It is important let go of your concerns about how he or she sees you so that you can just be yourself. You will please your husband or wife the most when you are comfortable in your own skin and are being your true self.
3 - Give Yourself the Space You Need
At times when you are feeling frustrated about your relationship or are feeling disrespected by your mate, it is important to give yourself the space you need. While the importance of doing so may not be immediately obvious, it is an important step in learning how to repair your relationship. Whenever you feel like communication has broken down between you and your spouse, remove yourself from the situation in order to get your bearings. When you feel calmer and more relaxed, you will both be able to work from a position of strength.
4 - Take an Unbiased Approach When Analyzing Your Communication Issues
Once you have cleared your head and found your space, it is time to coolly and calmly analyze your communication issues. Once you and your spouse have had the chance to get some distance from the situation, it is important that you both try to focus on the issues at hand rather than the raw emotion that may be getting in the way of clear communication. Avoid blame words and focus instead on your feelings.
These are just some of the concepts in clear communication within a marriage that I have come across after trying everything from self-help books to therapy to good old trial-and-error. I did not come up with these concepts myself, but I have used them to great success in my relationship. What helped the most was finding some real relationship gurus who have turned fixing communication and rekindling marital love into a true science.