Becoming a leader means an increasing focus on strategic v. operational tasks, and this is certainly true as an executive leading an Oracle implementation. If you have built your IT organization and / or the Oracle implementation to be too dependent on you, you won't make the progress needed. It is also a lost opportunity to develop your management team.

Let me give you a personal example. We all know how easy it is to let the tactical crowd out the strategic. At one job, I came in after the previous leader left, the major implementation project was on hold and the workforce was in turmoil. I quickly got swallowed up by tactical issues: mopping the floors instead of turning off the faucets. I took a big step back - when my boss asked impatiently for my strategic plan - to get back on track. I reviewed my list and pulled together a team of up and coming junior managers to work together as a team. The activities I delegated to them were new and skills building ones, and they were eager to jump on them. I could then focus on the higher value work that set me up for better career choices.

Think about the following:
- What do you want to be known for? Is that what you are doing?
- Practice ruthless prioritization
- Control your time and strategic contribution
- Move from low value to high value work
- Upskill yourself: understand what you need to learn, and learn it
- Upskill your team: thoughtfully develop your people and delegate as much as you responsibly can, and push that limit
- Focus on personal productivity instead of personal sacrifice

How do you choose what to delegate? Review how you spend your time. Consider:
- What is strategic and what is operational? Think through the operational tasks that would be a development opportunity for someone else.
- Highlight those items that would represent the highest freedom value for you.
- Think about what your core competencies are, and what your highest level of contribution can be to the company. Those that fall outside your highest contribution areas should be considered for delegation.
- Think of this work as a whole. It is best to delegate whole pieces of work as opposed to just tasks. The employee learns more by viewing how it all works together. You can, however, start with a small piece of a larger effort, and move to larger pieces and areas of responsibility over time with demonstrated successes.

Who do you delegate to? Consider:
- Do you understand who can handle particular tasks, or is close to being able to?
- What would it take to bring a person's level up to where it needs to be to take on a delegated task? An investment in time is never easy to make, but if the benefits are there, make it happen.
- Do you understand who sees a task as a learning opportunity?
- Who needs to change their job duties?

Find out what the talents and interests of your people are and you will be able to delegate more intelligently and effectively.

How do you effectively transition a task to another person? Consider how to create a support system for success.

- What is needed to make this transition as easy as possible?
- Establish who can help with this new task, and the resources, training or tools available
- Set the performance expectation and deadline, and how progress should be reported
- Be prepared to trade short term errors for long term results.
- Give help and coach when required, but don't hover.
- Be generous with recognition as successes start to happen.

In the end...
Your job for both you and your team is to constantly raise the value being provided to your organization. Delegating effectively increases the value and productivity of you, your team and the business. Honestly assessing and implementing how to get more work done through people will make your project, career and company more successful.

Marian Cook is currently the head of IT for a midmarket healthcare market leader of products, services and education for the pathology market. She leads the 100 person IT division and has a major Oracle R12 implementation underway. Among her many accomplishments she was once the Network Director for WITI Chicago and is currently on the Chicago's Mayor's Council of Technology.