Developing Your Empowering People Skill

Developing Your Empowering People Skill

Learning Team B

MGT/521

July 6, 2015

Sandra Griffin

Developing Your Empowering People Skill

Ricky Lee manages the contracts group of a large regional office supply distributor; he has been asked to complete a project. Ricky currently is working on another major project so he asks his boss if he can delegate the preparation of the new procedures manual for negotiation contracts with product manufacturers. Anne Zumwalt, his boss, agrees. Now Ricky plans to reach out to Bill Harmon regarding the assignment.  

Clarify the Assignment

Ricky has decided that Bill Harmon is the person most capable of completing the task, but first he must check to see if Bill has the time and motivation to take on the task. Ricky needs to appeal to Bill’s ego and let him know that he has complete confidence in his ability to perform the task at hand.  

When a leader has a willing and able employee, it is that leader's responsibility to explain the expected results and performance expectations. Bill is ready to take on the responsibility so Ricky must explain the project. He explains that he needs Bill to prepare, by the end of the month, a new procedures manual that will outline the steps followed in negotiating contracts with office products manufacturers who supply the organizations products.

Now that the task has been assigned, Ricky advises Bill that he has the autonomy to decide the best way to complete the task.  "As you've made your goals clear, your chosen employee is the best person to determine the way to reach a positive outcome" (Vokoun, n.d.).

Ricky then shares his expectations on what needs to be completed and when. Additionally, he advises him to set up weekly progress meetings should he need assistance. Finally, he explains his expectations that the procedures manual will be ready for review two days prior to the due date. After the meeting, both Rick and Bill both understand the task and the expected outcome.

Specify the Employee’s Range of Discretion

Ricky's expectation is that Bill, who has been in the contracts department for three years, to have a reasonable amount of knowledge to complete the majority of this task on his own. Particularly since his experience in the negotiation of contracts is why he is the right fit for this task. Bill should rely on personal knowledge and good judgment in the completion of the newly updated procedures manual, but he has the autonomy to determine whether he needs assistance from colleagues. Also, Bill has access to previous contracts, e-mails, memos, and other previously negotiated contracts to assist in his task. He may also speak to others involved in delegating the already drafted contracts he is referencing. This work is a rewrite of the procedures manual, so one expects that he can also reference previous manuals. He should be able to complete the majority of this project on his own, within the designated time frame.

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