When in doubt, delegate.

Almost everyone I know is concerned if not obsessed with being happy. So I amuse myself by asking people various questions about happiness.

A popular question is,  "At which time in your professional life did you feel the happiest?". Most respond that they were happiest at the beginning of their careers or when they were mere trainees.

This seems strange. How can anyone be happy when as the junior most person you have people walking all over you, the workload back breaking, and you have so little money in the pocket?

This contradiction I ascribe to youth, which is identified by a carefree demeanour, optimism, boundless energy, good health etc. The greatest reason is lack of any real personal and professional responsibility.

As we progress in our careers, most of us emulate the hamster on the wheel in the laboratory. We run, run and run,  snatching moments of  joy and relaxation, endeavouring to  achieve real personal development whenever possible, even if it comes in bits and pieces.

Often realizing a bad  bargain, the nearer we reach our material goals of status, power, money etc, the further we distance ourselves from the real person within us. .

Survival instinct compels us to become competitive. Be it socially, financially or professionally, people strive to rise to the top of the pyramid. However once we reach the top of our chosen mountain we find it is kind of lonely. The king cannot have friends but only dependants.

Getting to the top does wonders for our ego, we are full of ourselves, acquire a halo and several mistaken notions about ourselves. Suddenly it dawns on us that it is not so much fun being near the top. Yet it is quite unlikely that we will relinquish the top turf, which we have so painstakingly acquired.

One of the greatest thieves of our peace of mind at the top is, having to make decisions particularly difficult ones. When at the top we are burdened by the fear of the adverse consequences  of our decisions. In addition there is the persistent suspicion of having been manipulated by those around us which might result in loss of money or position not to mention the embarrassment to our fragile egos.

I should know I too was a beneficiary and victim of the same set of circumstances.

Difficult decisions are the privilege of rank.

What then is the solution?
Good management and better people.

Whenever possible delegate!

This may sound a tad dangerous, but if implemented with due planning and sincerity it inevitably works.

Delegation also works wonderfully if you are bureaucratic in your approach.  If you are scared that no responsibility for any mistake falls on you then here is a golden rule 'when in doubt, delegate'. Many officers and managers do this, take the credit for the success pin the blame on their  juniors (to whom the work was delegated) in case of a mishap or unsatisfactory result.

With the continuous explosion of knowledge it is impossible for an individual to be the best in every field.  Wise leaders always gets people smarter than themselves to function in a particular area while they themselves look how best to integrate the contribution of the individual team members.

You will know you have got it right when you observe that the final output greatly exceeds the sum of the individual parts.