Yes, it can be done.
A lot can be learned from the attitude of a snake.
Have you ever seen one eat an object larger than its own diameter? Look at a great big egg, and a small snake, and skeptically say: “There’s no way that skinny snake can swallow such a large egg.”
But nobody told the snake it couldn’t do it. Watch as it slowly but methodically opens its mouth wider and wider and then begins to stretch it up over the top of the egg. Now your initial doubts are waning. You think, “Well, maybe it just might . . .” and with amazement you watch the egg slowly disappear inside its mouth. Then its slim body expands to accommodate the unnatural bulge.
A manager, confronted with delegating a challenge, will look at an employee and say, “There’s no way Jim can handle this task. I better do it myself.” If the manager is wise she will avoid this first impulse and give Jim the opportunity to try. Just like the snake, if Jim is truly motivated, if he is given confidence in his abilities, and is provided support and guidance from his leader, he will likely stretch to meet the daunting challenge.
The snake really wanted the egg and was willing to commit itself completely to the task. Our slithery friend felt confident that it could do it and didn’t stop until the job was done. A big jump for a manager is letting go, and allowing others to try. They may fail, but they will learn from it and try again.
However, there is a danger. If, for example, a snake attempts to swallow a large toad starting from the toad’s rear instead of the front, the toad’s legs likely will get stuck, preventing the snake from completely swallowing. Since the snake’s teeth are angled back sharply, it cannot let go of the toad, and may die.
Likewise, when giving employees a major challenge, don’t abandon them. Know their tendencies and be available for help. Teach them how to approach the task properly, and give them appropriate coaching and support without smothering them so that they don’t choke.
In the end, both you and your employees will share a marvelous feeling of victory and personal fulfillment when the challenging task has been completed, and you both agree that, “Yes, it can be done, and we did it!”
A few tips:
Ponder recent tasks that you delegated to others. Who received them? How difficult were they? What type of support did you provide?