How do you use software to improve delegation?

1 Plan your tasks

Before you delegate any task, you need to have a clear idea of what you want to accomplish, why, and how. Software can help you plan your tasks by breaking them down into smaller and manageable steps, setting priorities and deadlines, and identifying the resources and skills needed. For example, you can use a project management software like Asana or Trello to create a visual map of your tasks, assign them to different team members, and track their progress.

2 Assign your tasks

Once you have planned your tasks, you need to decide who to delegate them to. Software can help you assign your tasks by matching them with the most suitable team members, based on their availability, expertise, and preferences. For example, you can use a scheduling software like Calendly or Doodle to find out when your team members are free, a skills assessment software like SkillSurvey or ProveIt to evaluate their competencies, and a feedback software like SurveyMonkey or Google Forms to ask them what they like to work on.

3 Monitor your tasks

After you have delegated your tasks, you need to keep an eye on their status, provide support and guidance, and resolve any issues that may arise. Software can help you monitor your tasks by giving you real-time updates, alerts, and reports on your team's performance, communication, and collaboration. For example, you can use a communication software like Slack or Teams to chat with your team members, share files, and create channels for different topics, a collaboration software like Google Docs or Dropbox to edit and store documents online, and a reporting software like Zoho or PowerBI to generate and visualize data.

4 Evaluate your tasks

When your tasks are completed, you need to review the outcomes, give feedback and recognition, and identify areas for improvement. Software can help you evaluate your tasks by collecting and analyzing feedback from your team members, clients, and other stakeholders, measuring the impact and quality of your work, and creating action plans for future projects. For example, you can use a feedback software like Qualtrics or Typeform to create and distribute surveys, a quality assurance software like TestRail or Jira to check and fix errors, and a goal-setting software like OKR or SMART to define and track your objectives.

Using software can make your delegation process more efficient, effective, and engaging. However, software is not a substitute for human interaction, trust, and empathy. As a supervisor, you still need to communicate clearly and frequently with your team members, delegate with respect and confidence, and appreciate their efforts and contributions. Software can enhance your delegation skills, but it can't replace them.

5 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?