The Art of Project Management

12.2. Make trust clear (create green lights)

The good managers I've had made trust explicit. They told me, flat out, that I had the authority to make decisions for my areas of responsibility, provided I had the support of my team. They (my managers) would identify specific things they were concerned about and ask me to check in with them on those points. They'd ask me what I needed from them, and we'd negotiate to see if they could provide it to me. Otherwise, they directed me to focus on making things happen, instead of seeking anyone else's approval. Imparting trust, the real meaning of delegation, is a powerful thing. Some sports have specific lingo around this kind of delegation of authority—for example, getting the "green light" in basketball.

Years before I played basketball in high school, I played on Coach Rob Elkins'(1) team at the Samuel Field Y, in Douglaston, New York. He pulled me aside one day during practice, which usually meant it was time for a reprimand. I'd been goofing off during practice, pulling down other players' shorts so that they couldn't get back on defense. When I sat down, I hung my head low, just in case. But he said nothing. We sat for long moments and watched the rest of the team scrimmage on the court. Finally, he said, "Scott, you have the green light." I looked at him. "Green light?" I asked. "Yes" he replied, smiling, but not looking at me. "OK, Coach," I said, and ran back out on the floor. Though few people ever hear these words, somehow ...