• The $450 billion price tag, which represents a 57 percent increase over the $286.5 billion bill approved in 2005, includes $87 billion in highway trust fund money for transit and $12 billion in transit cash from the Treasury's general fund. The 2005 bill gave transit less than $44 billion in highway trust fund money and $9 billion from the general fund.
  
  
• Oberstar isn't about to quietly accept Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood's admonition that the 18-month extension is necessary to "face reality." In fact, the committee's outline of its bill warns that an extension could be devastating to state DOTs that have "been unwilling to invest in large, long-term projects until enactment of the reauthorization act."
  
  
• Highway funding would be consolidated into four funding categories, as would transit -- effectively eliminating 75 funding categories from the current system.
  
  
• Oberstar's bill would establish the National Infrastructure Bank proposed by Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) and other senior lawmakers, making the bank part of a broader metropolitan access program that would support urban areas in achieving "improved transit operations, congestion pricing, and expanded highway and transit capacity."

Chairman Oberstar also appeared poised to support "complete streets" principles in his bill, although his outline uses the phrase "comprehensive street design principles." Complete streets involve engineering and design standards which place an importance on the role of streets in community livability.  

The complete streets idea suggests streets should be for everyone, whether young or old, motorist or bicyclist, walker or wheelchair user, bus rider or shopkeeper. But too many of our streets are designed only for moving cars, or worse, creeping traffic jams.

1. Eliminating the "aggregate" 5 percent purchase discount requirement.
2. Keeping intact the 1 percent discount on individual purchases.

Click here to read these documents.

• Workshops on the brownfields redevelopment process.
• Review of bid solicitations and responses.
• Review of technical reports related to environmental assessment and cleanup work performed by contractors. 
• Advice/assistance with engaging and involving key stakeholders in the planning and redevelopment process, including community visioning workshops.

For more information about TAB or to request assistance, please contact Dr. Sabine Martin, P.G., TAB Coordinator, at (785) 532-6474 or smartin1@k-state.edu.

• First, if you're able to spearhead a major task, chances are your skills are better used to further develop a strategy, fine tune operations or perhaps develop new ideas for the organization. By doing the work yourself, you're failing to make best use of your time.
  
• Second, by meaningfully involving others in the project, you develop their skills, knowledge and abilities (SKAs). This means that the next time a project comes along you can delegate it with more confidence that it will be done well, with less involvement from you.

So now you see that delegation allows you to make the best use of your time and skills, and it helps other people on your team grow and develop to reach their full potential in the organization.  Let's go a little deeper and look into the factors, which will make it more successful. First is the "When to Delegate", Mindtools identified five key questions to ask yourself:

1. Is there someone else who has (or can be given) the necessary information or expertise to complete the task or is it critical that you do it yourself? 
2. Does the task provide an opportunity to grow and develop another person's skills?
   
3. Is this a task that will recur, in a similar form, in the future?
   
4. Do you have enough time to delegate the job effectively? Time for adequate training, questions and answers, and opportunities to check progress, as well as for the rework if necessary. 
   
5. Is this a task that I should delegate?

Tasks critical for long-term success (for example, recruiting the right people for your team) genuinely do need your attention. If you can answer "yes" to at least some of the questions, then it could be worth delegating the work.  Even with this, there's no guarantee that the delegated task will be completed successfully. You also need to consider to the "to whom and how you should delegate" Mindtools  describes them both below:

To Whom Should You Delegate?

The three key factors to consider here include: 

1. What are the experience and SKAs as they apply to the task?
2. What's the individual's preferred work style?
3. What's the current workload of this person?

When you start to delegate, you'll notice staff may take longer to complete a specific tasks. Remember you're the expert in the field with significant experience while the person you delegated to is still learning. Be patient: if you have chosen the right person to delegate to, and you are delegating correctly, you will find that he or she quickly becomes competent and reliable.

"How Should You Delegate? 

1. Clearly articulate desired outcome. Begin with the end in mind and specify desired results.
2. Clearly identify constraints and boundaries, Where are the lines of authority, responsibility and accountability?
3. Where possible, include people in the delegation process.
4. Match the amount of responsibility with the amount of authority.
5. Delegate to the lowest possible organizational level. People closest to the work are best suited for the task; they have intimate knowledge of the everyday work. This increases workplace efficiency, and helps to develop people. 
6. Provide adequate support, and be available to answer questions.
7. Focus on results. Concern yourself with what's accomplished, rather than how the work should be done: Allow the person to control his or her own methods and processes because this facilitates success and trust.  (This is where most delegations go wrong... from micro-managing)
8. Avoid "upward delegation". If there is a problem, don't allow the person to shift the responsibility back to you: ask for their recommended solutions; don't simply provide an answer.
9. Build motivation and commitment. Discuss how success will impact future opportunities, informal recognition, and other desirable consequences. 
10. Establish and maintain control.

• Discuss timelines and deadlines.
• Agree on a progress review schedule
• Make adjustments as necessary.
• Take time to review all submitted work. 

When you consider these key points prior to and during your next delegation process, you'll find that you will delegate more successfully. 

If you are still having delegating, staffing or operations challenges, or looking for that strategic support and guidance, call IACED - 317-920-2300, we can assist you in managing your organization to become more efficient and effective with our Fee for Service Consulting.  Call us today!