What do you do if your Agile team lacks trust and accountability due to poor delegation?

Agile methodologies are based on collaboration, feedback, and adaptation. But what if your Agile team lacks trust and accountability due to poor delegation? How can you improve the communication, alignment, and ownership of your team members and foster a healthy Agile culture? In this article, we will explore some of the common causes and consequences of poor delegation, and share some practical tips and tools to help you delegate effectively and empower your Agile team.

1 Why is delegation important in Agile?

Delegation is the process of assigning tasks, responsibilities, and authority to others. In Agile, delegation is essential for creating self-organizing, cross-functional, and high-performing teams. Delegation allows the team to leverage their diverse skills, talents, and perspectives, and to make decisions based on their expertise and context. Delegation also enables the team to learn from each other, grow their capabilities, and deliver value faster and better. Delegation is not only a management technique, but also a mindset that reflects trust, respect, and collaboration.

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Brian Vice

Senior QA Mobile Analyst | Certified Scrum Professional - Scrum Master | Servant-Leader | Passionate about Agile Methodologies
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Delegation encourages cross-functional collaboration within the team, as team members with different skills and expertise can work together on tasks. This promotes knowledge sharing and learning, leading to a more well-rounded and effective team.

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Marco Ramirez Plaza 🚀

Change Agent | Management 3.0 Facilitator | Agile Leadership | Collaboration SuperPowers Trainer | Agile Trainer | Change Management | Agile Coach | Speaker
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La delegación efectiva es fundamental.Algunas razones de por qué delegar es crucial en Agile: 1.- Permite que los team member tomen decisiones y asuman responsabilidades, promoviendo así la autonomía y empoderamiento. 2.- Asignar tareas individuales a quienes poseen las habilidades y el conocimiento adecuado, mejora la eficiencia y entrega de valor. 3.- Delegar permite a los miembros del equipo desarrollar nuevas habilidades y crecer profesionalmente, enfrentando desafíos adicionales. 4.- Confiar en ellos para realizar tareas importantes, fortalece la confianza mutua y promueve un ambiente colaborativo y transparente. 5.- Delegar de manera equitativa ayuda a evitar sobrecarga de trabajo, contribuyendo al equilibrio en la carga laboral.

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2 What are the signs and effects of poor delegation?

Poor delegation can manifest in various forms, such as micromanagement, overcommitment, or unclear expectations. This can lead to the team feeling frustrated, demotivated, or overwhelmed by the workload or lack of autonomy. Furthermore, the team may become reliant on the manager or Scrum Master for every decision or issue and not take initiative or ownership of their work. Poor delegation can also lead to a lack of communication, information sharing, and constructive feedback among the team. As a result, goals and deadlines may not be met, and the team may not be able to deliver expected results, quality, or value. Additionally, they may struggle to adapt to changing requirements, customer needs, or market conditions and lose their competitive edge.

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Marco Ramirez Plaza 🚀

Change Agent | Management 3.0 Facilitator | Agile Leadership | Collaboration SuperPowers Trainer | Agile Trainer | Change Management | Agile Coach | Speaker
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Una mala delegación puede tener efectos perjudiciales en la dinámica y desempeño del equipo. Algunos signos y efectos de una mala delegación: - Micromanagement, cuando los líderes supervisan excesivamente las tareas delegadas, limitando la autonomía de las personas, generando frustración. - Una delegación no equitativa puede llevar a una distribución desigual de la carga laboral. 3.- Una delegación inadecuada puede generar malas expectativas en el equipo, dificultando el logro de los objetivos. 4.- Menos oportunidades para crecer y desarrollar nuevas habilidades, cuando no se delegan tareas desafiantes o relevantes. Identificar estos signos y abordarlos con estrategia, es esencial para cultivar un ambiente colaborativo y empoderador.

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3 How can you delegate effectively in Agile?

Delegating effectively in Agile requires a balance between giving direction and providing space, offering support and giving challenge, and setting expectations and boundaries. To help you delegate effectively in Agile, it's important to define the purpose, scope, and outcome of the delegation with SMART goals. Additionally, choose the right level of delegation for each task, from "tell" to "delegate", depending on the complexity, urgency, and impact of the task. Furthermore, empower the team to make decisions and solve problems by providing them with resources, tools, and information. Monitor and support their progress and performance through regular check-ins, feedback sessions, reviews, and Agile artifacts/ceremonies. Finally, evaluate and celebrate the results and learnings with the team at the end of the delegation. Share the feedback and learnings with stakeholders to apply them to future delegations.

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Brian Vice

Senior QA Mobile Analyst | Certified Scrum Professional - Scrum Master | Servant-Leader | Passionate about Agile Methodologies
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Ensure open and transparent communication within the team. Provide updates on progress, address any challenges or issues, and encourage team members to share their ideas and opinions.

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Marco Ramirez Plaza 🚀

Change Agent | Management 3.0 Facilitator | Agile Leadership | Collaboration SuperPowers Trainer | Agile Trainer | Change Management | Agile Coach | Speaker
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Te dejo algunos pasos clave para lograr una delegación eficaz en Agile: - Comunica claramente los objetivos y las expectativas de cada tarea delegada, garantizando el entendimiento común. - Asigna tareas según las fortalezas y habilidades individuales del equipo, maximizando su potencial. - Empodera a los miembros del equipo para tomar decisiones y gestionar sus tareas. - Establece un ambiente cómodo para pedir apoyo y recibir retroalimentación. - Revisa periódicamente el progreso, identifica problemas y ajusta la delegación según sea necesario para garantizar el éxito del equipo. Al implementar estos principios, puedes mejorar la eficacia de la delegación en Agile, fortaleciendo confianzas y responsabilidades en el equipo.

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4 What are the benefits of effective delegation in Agile?

Delegating effectively in Agile can bring numerous benefits for the team, the manager, and the organization. The team can become more autonomous, collaborative, and productive as they gain confidence in their work and develop their skills. For the manager, it can free up time and energy for other tasks while allowing them to build trust with the team. As for the organization, they can benefit from higher quality, value, and customer satisfaction as they foster a culture of innovation and agility. All these advantages allow them to gain a competitive edge in the market.

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Brian Vice

Senior QA Mobile Analyst | Certified Scrum Professional - Scrum Master | Servant-Leader | Passionate about Agile Methodologies
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Several benefits include increased productivity, empowerment of team members, better time management, improved collaboration, faster decision-making, adaptation and flexibility. Delegating tasks allows team members to quickly respond to changing priorities and requirements, enabling the team to be more agile in their approach to work.

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5 How can you overcome the challenges of delegation in Agile?

Delegation in Agile is not always easy or smooth, and can involve some challenges, such as resistance or reluctance from the team or the manager to delegate or accept delegation, mismatch between the task and the team, or confusion over roles and responsibilities. To overcome these issues, it is important to communicate openly and honestly with the team and the manager. Involve them in the delegation process and negotiate terms. Additionally, build trust and accountability by demonstrating your competence and reliability. Show appreciation for their work and hold yourself and others accountable for the results of the delegation.

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Luis Salazar

💡| Potencio a tus equipos y a tu empresa, un paso a la vez.
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To overcome the challenges of delegation, I always suggest to clearly define the task, its objectives within in the short term, and the expected outcome. This reduces confusion and ensures everyone is on the same page. Also, discuss the task with the team member you're delegating to. This allows them to ask questions, clarify expectations, and express any concerns about their ability to complete it. At this point, offer wide support, provide access to documents, samples, or pair with them for initial setup. As always, acknowledge achievements. Publicly recognize the team member's successful completion of the delegated task. This shows appreciation for their contribution and reinforces the value of delegation.

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6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?

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What do you do if your Agile team lacks trust and accountability due to poor delegation?

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3

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1 Why is delegation important in Agile?

2 What are the signs and effects of poor delegation?

3 How can you delegate effectively in Agile?

4 What are the benefits of effective delegation in Agile?

5 How can you overcome the challenges of delegation in Agile?

6 Here’s what else to consider

Agile Methodologies

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What do you do if your Agile team lacks trust and accountability due to poor delegation?

1

2

3

4

5

6

1 Why is delegation important in Agile?

2 What are the signs and effects of poor delegation?

3 How can you delegate effectively in Agile?

4 What are the benefits of effective delegation in Agile?

5 How can you overcome the challenges of delegation in Agile?

6 Here’s what else to consider

Agile Methodologies

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