You have to do it yourself.”
I hear this all the time. It is a common complaint. Another version is, “It’s just easier to do it myself than to explain it to someone.”
These statements are either given as an excuse not to delegate or as a put down of another person, i.e., the other person is not capable of doing it the right way.
Truly, it’s an indication that there is a communication problem. If you can’t describe to another person what you want done in a way that makes sense to them and makes it clear how you want it done, clearly you need to work on your communication.
Most people respond by saying, “It’s not me; it’s them!” No, it’s you. You are responsible for your communication. You are not just responsible for what you say, you are also responsible for how the other person hears or interprets what you are saying.
There is a another way
You can get your message across clearly and have the other person “get it” (and actually have them take the action you want them to take). It is possible. It is not rocket science; it’s communication.
Most people do not know how to communicate this way, which is why it occurs as “easier to just do it yourself.” But in the long run it is not easier. In fact, it makes your job far more difficult. For one thing, you end up doing far too much which creates an enormous amount of stress and frustration. Another reason is that you make the people around you feel inadequate and talked down to. This does not lead to anything good. If you are a manager and not delegating then you are robbing your people of the chance to learn new skills to grow as an employee.
If you have heard yourself say some version of “If you want something done right, you have to do it yourself,” then I highly recommend working on your communication. There are simple, yet powerful strategies that I can teach you to enhance your communication effectiveness. Contact me for a free strategy session.
Don’t wait until you are completely burned out from doing too much.
