ABSTRACT
Helping a delegatee grow and improve through devising a series of successes does not mean seeking to avoid all mistakes when you delegate. Not every delegated task gets done or is done correctly. Remember a subordinate's failure may simply mean that you're delegating without following through. Once subordinates recognize that they have made errors, do not rub it in. Emphasize the positive. Find something they did right and compliment them. Then correct and demonstrate how their errors might have been avoided. Remember, only reprimand someone when the person can do better. People can take only a limited amount of criticism at any one time. When they reach their limit, they become defensive, begin to reject the validity of the criticism and tune out altogether. Follow-up is essential to the delegation process. The best way to get a surprise in business is to delegate a project and forget about it till it's done. And in business, surprises are rarely good.
