Secure the Landing Zone (LZ)
When delegating a project, it’s easy to let things “take their course.”
This structure can work if the team has worked together and the members have self-selected roles.
In most circumstances, ad hoc groups (especially in startup and complex corporate structures) don’t get things done.
Projects are full of little decisions. After a certain point, dealing with these decisions lead to confusion.
That’s where a point man is valuable.
The point man isn’t the leader, per se. She/he creates the structure for how things work, makes sure the meetings happen, and connect and gather resources. In bigger organizations, this is a project manager type role. In smaller groups, it makes sense to have a senior person do this.
This role, clearly defined, gives people room to do their job. It also gives you, as the delegating person, one point of contact to be responsible for the project’s entire scope.
If the leader’s job is to clear the landing zone, it’s the point man’s job to secure it.
From the desk of Adam Thomas 