Learn How to Delegate

Anyone who wants to move into management in an industry needs to learn the “fine art” of delegation.  This includes pharmacists.

“But,” you may be saying, “no one can do what needs to be done as well as I can.” Or, “No one can do it as fast as I” (or as accurately, or with such a smile on my face or, [choose your special knack]).

But you need to get over yourself and delegate. Otherwise you’ll eventually find yourself inundated with work that could – and should – be performed by someone else.

But, while you make a point to stay current on the trends within the pharmaceutical field, and while you make every effort to continually learn in the field, you’ve more than likely never taken a course on delegating.

Read below for some tips on how to delegate.

• First, as mentioned above, don’t think that there’s no one on your staff who can do the job as well as you. In other words, put your ego aside and realize that, with the right training, anyone more than likely could do the tasks you need delegated.
• Don’t wait for people to offer to help; they may think you don’t want it. But don’t look at yourself as being “weak.” Asking for help when you’re feeling overwhelmed actually is a sign of strength: You truly can’t do it all.
• Too many people aim to delegate “the process” rather than the desired outcome. This is a mistake. Doing it your way isn’t the only way a task or project can be performed. Set clear standards regarding the outcome, show the person how to use the necessary tools and then step away.
• Understand that the person who is now doing what you did with such ease will make mistakes. Be patient. Offer constructive criticism; don’t lambast.
• Make sure you have a Plan B, in case the person doing the task won’t be able to meet a deadline or complete the task to the standard you’ve set. Make sure you check in regularly (but don’t hover) as the task or project unfolds to make sure things are going well. If not, implement Plan B.
• Be sure to thank the person and praise him or her to others for a job well done.

Here’s one job you should never delegate: sending your resume/CV to a recruiter at Rx relief®. If you’re a pharmacist or pharm tech looking for new opportunities, we want to hear from you. Contact us today.