HOW DELEGATED WORK BOOMERANGS
It's not enough to delegate work. We need to make sure it stays delegated.
Orville E. Easterly
April 1, 1989
Why am I chronically running out of time and energy? I had asked myself this question many times, but the problem became acute when we relocated and built a new building. There seemed no end to what I was expected to do.
Then someone suggested I read an article from the November/December 1974 Harvard Business Review. As I read it, I realized the answer: Much of the time, I was working for my staff, not the other way around.
William Oncken, Jr., and Donald L. Wass, the authors, pointed out three kinds of tasks that consume time for managers:
Position-Imposed: Tasks your position demands; the pastoral duties expected by the congregation you serve.
Organization-Imposed: Requests for involvement in the community and in the local and district organizations of your denomination.
Self-Imposed: Activities that fulfill responsibilities as a spouse and parent, and other things you have decided to take on, such as continuing education.
If any of the three areas gets shorted, it's usually the last one, and often that's because of colleague-imposed responsibilities, requests for assistance from staff members or key lay leaders. That was my experience.
I was delegating work, but mysteriously some of that work was landing back on my desk. How was it happening?
The art of monkey passing
Work assignments might be compared to the proverbial monkey on the back. I don't recall seeing a course in any college or seminary catalogue titled "The Art of Monkey Passing," but most of us are fairly good at it. It may be a requisite for surviving as a member of a pastoral team. Let me give an example.
At the end of a Tuesday-morning staff meeting, the associate responsible for Christian education pauses before leaving the room and says, "By the way, Pastor, we ...
Like the preview? To read this complete article
and 18,013 more in the archive—JOIN NOW!
Easily find high-quality, well-researched materials that provide a Christian perspective on topics ranging from headlines to history.
Start using this invaluable tool TODAY for preparing your Bible studies, presentations, class lectures, sermons, meetings, and more.
|
It's easy and quick to join:
Brought to You by Christianity Today Int'l |  |
|
| 
Find similar articles
E-mail this page
