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The 7 Tasks that Cannot Be Delegated

Following my article on 22 April 2014 about the 7 Truths in Management, the part on Delegation attracted the most comments.  In our management training, we often emphasized 7 children: the 7 Tasks that Cannot Be Delegated. They are like your 7 children, if you abandon them, you're abdicating them.  That's sinful! 
  1. Giving Authorization.  This is very obvious, you cannot delegate approval and authorization, thus you have to sign documents yourself.  
  2. Strategic Planning. You can get consultants to help you, but at the end of the day, you must select what strategy to take.  When it comes to planning, you can delegate the details to your subordinate, but the overall master plan must come from you.
  3. Praising People.  You can delegate scolding, but compliments have to be dished out by yourself.  If you are afraid that your hair will stand when you praise someone face to face, you can do it via electronic ways.  But no matter how busy you are, a manager's job is to inspire motivate and lead people, thus you have to praise people yourself.
  4. Showing Care and Concern for People.  You cannot ask your staff to call the person on your behalf to express your care and concern, for sincerity is most important in giving out such love.
  5. Taking the Blame.  Yes, you can delegate taking credit but taking blame must be shouldered by you and you alone.  We know that bosses are the problems, and all great bosses are the first to take the blame and last to take the credit.  
  6. Apology.  Apology has to be done at the highest level or it has no effect at all.  That's why Ms Pak, President of South Korean, has to personally apologize for the ship's fatal accident that killed 200 people in April 2014.
  7. Delegation.  This is most important, for you cannot delegate delegation.  That means that at the end of the day, you are still responsible even though you have delegated the entire tasks!  Like Apple Inc. has outsourced its manufacturing to Foxconn, but it has to be personally responsible when a fire broke out at Foxconn's factory.    
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