I keep six honest serving-men
They taught me all I knew;
Their names are What and Why and When
And How and Where and Who.
(From The Elephants Child by Rudyard Kipling)
As well as being the Five W’s (and one H) of journalism these are also useful questions to consider when delegating tasks or when tasks are delegated to you.
What is the task being delegated? … Be clear and specific.
Why is this task important? … How does it fit with overall goals, the bigger picture?
When does this need to be done by? … What’s the timeframe?
How will it be done? … Systems, processes to follow/use.
Where will it be done? … Location of places, people and resources needed.
Who is going to do this task? … The ‘best’ person with the skills, resources, motivation.
Miss out clarifying any one of these questions and it’s likely something will be misunderstood or will result in a different and unwanted outcome.
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