Licensee Badge
Submitted by US101 on
in

Forums

How do you delegate a task or project that you know all your team members dislike doing?

I'm talking tedious kind of projects. Like documenting processes or for engineers having to physcially verify the pin design on a backplane.

Thanks
Jon

Tim G's picture

I'd either set it in rotation-ie everyone goes on a list and when it's your turn, it's your turn or set up work teams so that the projects get done faster and people can move on to other things.

bflynn's picture

[quote="jonp"]How do you delegate a task or project that you know all your team members dislike doing?

I'm talking tedious kind of projects. Like documenting processes or for engineers having to physcially verify the pin design on a backplane.

Thanks
Jon[/quote]

You're suggesting that employees don't want to do something. Perhaps they would prefer to indulge a personal preference?

Thought more on this - Are you suggesting that you find the projects tedious or that you know everyone else does? Groupthink can take over and some tasks will get labelled as undesirable, but to some people they're really not. I have an amount of skepticism that everyone on your team hates the same things, but I suppose it could happen.

Short term answer - someone just has to do it. From your O3s, you should know who on the team is most receptive to it and might even like it. If you don't know or aren't doing O3s - start.

I would not rotate it. It will become a hot potatoe that no one will take responsibility for. Take your best pick and assign it. You might ask for a volunteer first if you're sure someone wants to do it, but I wouldn't if you think no one would step up; the negativity of your delegating the assignment would become much greater. You might add an incentive perk like a new (better) workspace, new equipment, etc. Don't announce it as a carrot, use it as a thank you after the routine starts.

Long term - You need to diversify your hiring practice. Rather than looking for specific tech skills, hire for personality traits. Get a High-C on the team, someone who finds fufillment in making sure things are right. Get several.

Hope the ideas help

US101's picture
Licensee Badge

Great tips. Thanks guys.