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Overview. This is a group project -- by interest groups. You are to select an organization and then select a management position (middle in a large organization, top or middle of a smaller one). Then think of a useful project that you wish to delegate to a new employee. Plan your delegation carefully and then select two members of the group to role play the initial meeting where the project is delegated. Select one member of the group to report on the results of the exercise.Selection of Organization. You may select an organization of your choice (doesn't have to be real), e.g., medium-sized public library, school system or school library media center, academic library or a particular department in the library. Pick the organization to match the interests of your group.
Determination of Project. Select a project that you think would be important and useful to the organization and one that is "do-able" in less than a year but more than three months. A project that you would enjoy doing is a good candidate. Consider the Secrets of Delegation and define the project, its reporting requirements, the due date, the amount of resources and authority that will be delegated with it.
Consideration of Employee Development. Consider a relatively new professional employee to whom you will delegate the task. Put yourselves in the position of the delegatee to consider what kinds of information and authority you want. Put yourselves in the position of the manager to consider how the delegation exercise will help the organization and develop the employee.
Role Play. Select one person in your group to be the manager and another to be the new employee. Role play the meeting at which the assignment is given. If you have time, you might role play a second meeting that might occur half way through the project and let the employee improvise what's happening in the project (perhaps an unexpected problem) and let the manager react to it. The other member(s) of the group should observe and take notes and then share their reactions with the players.
Post Exercise Summary. Select someone who has not presented to describe what happened. The summary should include an identification of the organization and the manager's position, a description of the project, a description of the role play, and a summary of the group's comments about the exercise.
Possible Portfolio Entry. We will not hear the details of everyone's exercise. You may wish to comment on this in your portfolio. In your response, you might discuss your own experiences as a delegator or delegatee. Analysis and any "lessons learned" are always welcome.
