????把任務委派給那些經驗較豐富的下屬的確比較容易，即便這些人可能從任務中學習不到太多東西。更具有挑戰性的則是把任務分配給那些從來沒有從事過這類任務的人。這就是“開發他人”的核心所在。他們都是有優秀教育背景、有天賦、有才華、有進取心的人，只是缺乏經驗而已。

????因此，在委派一項任務的時候，最好假設他們并沒有真正理解這項任務的重要性，也不明白它對業務的全局有什么意義。高明的經理人經常在委派任務時首先會向下屬解釋為什么要完成這項任務，把它當作委派工作的第一步。

????? 為什么要完成這項任務

????? 為什么說它對我們的業務很重要

????? 為什么說它對你們的職業很重要

????? 誰能從這項任務中獲益

????? 其他事項

????如果在委派任務之前沒有向下屬解釋全局，沒有把“所有的點都聯系起來”，如果是一位新人，他可能會理解不了他所做的事有什么重要意義。因此如果你想要的是一個有積極性的學習者，就要確保他們理解為什么說這項工作具有重要性。這樣他們才會感覺到自己在全局工作中的重要性，從而主動開展工作，而不是被動地像一架機器一樣按部就班地干活。

????4.只委派無足輕重的任務。“情境領導理論”認為，把較大的項目委派給那些已經在工作中證明了自身能力的下屬相對而言比較容易。但是，他們是不是能一直這樣勝任？有些時候，上級領導選擇在這些人身上冒冒險，把一個大項目或重大責任委托給他們，而且他們也的確取得了成功。可能他們的上級也密切參與了這項任務，并且積極主動地參與了解決問題的過程，給予了咨詢和指導。

????可有的時候也并非如此。有時，這些下屬可能只能依賴自己的智慧，獨力搞定一項任務。這種情況在西方叫做“泳池的深水區”。早年間我曾在“深水區”里待過很長時間，我向你保證，在這個地方游泳非常痛苦。當時在我急需要支持和指導的時候，我的那些經理們在這方面卻做得十分不到位。當然，他們也不認為開發別人是他們的職責。

????我對那些有進取心的經理人的建議是：與下屬建立緊密的關系，把多數重大職責分配給他們，然后在執行任務的過程中與他們保持緊密的溝通。那么你的職業之路即可確保無虞，同時你開發的下屬也會與你一起上升。如果你只讓下屬做些小事，他們就不會成長，你的業務也不會有大的起色。最糟糕的是，你雇傭的人才會用腳投票，帶著自己的才華另謀高就，而這是一個需要注意的跡象。

????It’s always nice to delegate to those with deep experience, even though these people aren’t going to learn much from the task. More challenging is the ability to delegate to people who have never done this type of work before. That is the real nature of developing people. They are well educated, talented, intelligent and willing…they simply lack experience.

????Therefore it is best to assume that they don’t really understand the relevance of the task at hand and how it connects to the Big Picture of the business. The wise manager always takes the time to explain the “why” of a task as the first step of delegating:

????? Why we need this done

????? Why it is important to our business

????? Why it matters to their career

????? Who will benefit

????? Etc

????Failing to clarify the Big Picture, to “connect the dots” for a beginner is not only demotivating, it makes it very hard for them to feel that what they are doing is significant and meaningful. If you want a motivated learner, make sure they understand “why” the task is important. That way they will be able to sense their own importance in the larger scheme of things: they will feel actively engaged in the business instead of feeling like a robot.

????4. Delegating Only Small, Trivial Tasks. Again, the principle of “situational leadership” applies: it is easier to delegate large projects to people who have already proven themselves competent. But…were they always so competent? At some point, their superiors took a risk on them and trusted them to take on a large chunk or responsibility…and they succeeded. Most likely, their supervisor was closely involved, checking-in regularly for trouble-shooting, counseling, encouraging, etc.

????Or perhaps not. Perhaps they had to rely only on their own wits and figure it all out by themselves. That is known in the West as “the deep end of the pool.” I spent a lot of time at the deep end in my early days and I assure you it is a very painful place to swim! My managers were simply incompetent to provide the kind of support and coaching I desperately needed and wanted. Of course, they didn’t think their job was to develop people either.

????My advice to aspiring managers: develop close relationships with your people, delegate BIG chunks of responsibility and stay closely connected with them along the way. Your career path is assured, together with the person you developed. If you only ask people to do the small stuff, they aren’t going to grow and neither is the business. Worst of all, the talented people you hired are going to vote with their feet and take their talents elsewhere. And that is going to be noticed.