You can't do it all yourself!

It's 3pm. You have an event scheduled for 4pm and there are a few things left to do:

• The food is being set up at 3:30pm. You've got to talk to the caterer and make sure they are set up in the right place and the right amounts of food have been delivered.
• Flowers are being delivered to the ballroom at 3:45pm. You've got to get up there to receive them.
• Someone from Facilities wants to talk to you about room setup
• You've got to put up "EVENT TODAY!" posters everywhere. Really, that should have been done this morning.
• Your guest speaker just showed up and needs to know where to park.
• The VIPs are starting to arrive (why is it the VIPs always get there early?) and a few other guests are already trickling in, and want to know where the nametags are, where the programs are, and where they are supposed to sit, and where...

ARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!

..and you just lost it.

The above scenario is not only plausible, but it happens all the time and can be easily avoided through the simple and important art of delegation.

Delegation is like a pothole that everyone talks about but no one ever gets around to fixing. There always seems to be something more important to do. There's a reason for that: Nobody has delegated anything!

And the truth is, it's so easy! Communication is key. Engage the people around you, your members and constituents, and motivate them to achieve your group's goals--whatever they may be.

Not only can delegation preserve your sanity and prevent you from an explosion like the one described above, but it's critical to keeping your team together and operating with efficiency and a sense of urgency.

Think about it: If you are part of an organization or team that gives you nothing to do, would you stick around? What's at stake? Why give your time and energy to a cause you aren't connected to?

So often, we avoid delgating tasks and responsibility to team members because we don't want to burden or overwhelm them. But the fact is, if someone has joined your team, they are there to contribute, and actually expect to be a part of your team's success. If they aren't there to contribute, then they really shouldn't be there at all (but that's a whole different blog).

By not engaging all of your members, you are actually hurting your team. If you follow the old rule of "if you want things done right, you have to do them yourself," you will almost certainly lose your team (not to mention your sanity).

Below are some strategies to assist you with delegation:

• Create task lists for each event or activity you are coordinating. Include a column for "person assigned" and "due date." Once you have a detailed, concrete list of tasks, you can begin assigning those tasks and looking for the right individual to match to that task.
• Consider the talents in your group. Sometimes we need to take inventory and figure out the skills, talents and abilities of our teams. Do you have someone that's great at logistics and details? Great with publicity and promotions? A visionary thinker, or more of a rules and regulations person? Is everyone in the right place to best utilize their strengths?
• Give people the freedom to be creative--and to make mistakes. Avoid micromanaging, or giving instructions that are so detailed they leave no room for interpretation. Part of the excitement of working in a team is the diversity of ideas and perspectives people bring to the table. No two people will carry out a task in the same way. Give people the freedom to use their own approach--even if it means there's a risk things won't turn out exactly right. You will be pleasantly surprised what people come up with when they are allowed to engage their creativity and problem-solving skills.
• Communicate, Communicate, Communicate. Take the time to review tasks with individuals and make sure they understand their part, and that they are integral to your group's overall success.
• Take time to debrief and reward group effort. Evaluation is an important part of any event or undertaking. Make sure your members are involved in the evaluation process to close the loop on any important issues and provide vital feedback on your event and activity. Just as important, take the time to recognize individual and group achievements and reward outstanding effort.

The next time you have an event, or any team objective, coming up, analyze your involvement. What's your stake? If you are a team leader, consider whether you are utilizing all of your resources--including the other members of your team. If you are a team member, consider whether or not your skills, talents and abilities are being put to good use.

Many of us have the hardest time letting go of ownership, but it is absolutely essential to do so if you want your group to succeed.

Anthony Butler is the Assistant Director of Leadership in the Rosenberg Center for Student Involvement. For over eight years, Leadership UB has provided leadership training and opportunities for service and reflection to University of Baltimore and the surrounding community. To find out how you can get involved, visit www.ubalt.edu/leadership or e-mail leadership@ubalt.edu.