When Delegating Duties Use the A.C.H.I.E.V.E Model for Better Results

Most successful leaders have one very important trait in common, the ability to successfully delegate. Delegation is by far one of the hardest tasks that a chapter officer faces, especially if they tend to be a perfectionist and/or possess extroverted personality traits. The error that most Chapter Presidents or other leaders make is not the lack of delegation, but wrongful delegation. The most important thing is to know your people, know where they are in their personal development level, and whether or not they possess the specific skill sets necessary to perform the task at hand.

When delegating, use the following questions listed in the ACHIEVE model, developed by the Center for Leadership Studies, to determine proper delegation techniques and ACHIEVE success!

A: ABILITY.: Does the person possess the skills necessary to perform the specific task at hand? As a personal growth organization, we want to give our members new experiences, but sometimes results are necessary and we don't want to set people up for failure.

C: CLARITY: Does the person understand exactly what I expect from him/her? Do not assume that everyone has the same knowledge as you do. Remember, the burden of Communication fails on the Communicator, not the other way around.

H: HELP: Does the person know that he/she can comfortably ask for help? Projects are more productive and achieve better results if run by a committee rather than one person. It is okay for the delegated to delegate downward again, if that is the most efficient way of doing things.

I: INCENTIVE: Does the person understand the reward or recognition system in my area? Does your chapter have an awards program, or actively participate in your state's organization's awards program?

E: ENVIRONMENT: Does the person understand the norms, rules, policies, and procedures? New members tend to break these all the time; do not assume that all members know proper procedures....they need to be taught. When was the last time formal Committee/Project or Office training was held?