What do you do if you need to effectively delegate tasks in a philanthropic career?

Lead with engagement of the overall objective and/or goal, so the team understands no matter the tasks, project or initiative they own, they each play a critical role in delivery and fulfillment of the end goal. When people are engaged they feel empowered even if the tasks are tedious, they know they are a critical part of the team. Then you need to know your teams' capacity as a group and individual capacity. Simply put, when challenged, people rise to the occasion and the tried and true -- make an assignment to the most "slammed" person on your team and it will be completed most expeditiously.

These days consider how AI can assist in the busy work. Try to free up precious staff time for services that add value to populations served.

Understand each team member's unique skills and passions. This allows you to delegate tasks that align with their strengths, increasing efficiency and motivation.

Any time you are doing a task that you feel you shouldn’t be doing, it’s an indication that you might not be delegating enough. Working as a team within the charity structure is key to the success of the charity. Employees who feel that they are part of the team, trusted and respected tend to have a higher level of commitment to their work, the charity, and, their managers.

Effective delegation begins with knowing your priorities and what you should and should not be spending your time on. Then, you select the tasks that your team members should be working on, delegating specifically to the people who are best equipped with the skills and strengths to do that task well. Then, once you've communicated clear expectations and empowered the employee to succeed, have check-ins and provide coaching & direction to not only achieve the target outcomes but ensure that your team learns and continuously improves their effectiveness through each task.

Clearly define the objectives of each task or project. This ensures everyone understands what needs to be accomplished and why it's important in the context of the organization's mission.

Delegation can be frustrating for all involved if clear goals are not discussed, defined and delineated. As a leader, I would encourage you to create a framework that allows space for others to fill in the how around the what with a focus on the why. Ensure everyone understands the defined purpose you are attempting to achieve. Identify the big buckets of "what" that need to be done to achieve that purpose. Ask those you are delegating to fill in the how so they can apply their unique perspectives to the task and have some ownership in how the purpose is achieved.

Clearly, if I want people to support me, I need to tell them first where we want to go. Otherwise, there is a risk that they do many things which they think are?useful but might not necessarily contribute to reaching MY objective.?

Setting clear goals is key when delegating tasks in philanthropy. You should clearly articulate the objectives and expected outcomes for each task or project. This clarity helps team members understand their roles within the broader mission, ensuring everyone works towards the same end. It also establishes a framework for accountability and aids in progress measurement, which is crucial for maintaining momentum and achieving the desired impact in your philanthropic efforts. It's essential to clearly know where your efforts are headed. Tools like Trello( my favorite one ?)Asana, and Monday.com can help everyone reach the goal by organizing tasks and tracking progress effectively.

Clearly Define Expectations: Clearly communicate the objectives, expectations, and desired outcomes of each delegated task or project. Provide detailed instructions, timelines, and any necessary resources to ensure that team members understand what is expected of them. Empower and Trust Your Team: Empower your team members to take ownership of their delegated tasks and make decisions autonomously. Trust that they have the skills and capabilities to deliver results, and provide support and guidance as needed.

I work with volunteers, whom I may not pay much for their work due to financial constraints. Therefore one of the ways I make sure they deliver is to make sure their they have all the resources they need to get the job done, without incurring any personal costs.

Ensure your team has access to the necessary tools, information, and support to complete their tasks effectively. This could include providing training, access to networks, or financial resources.

I work with volunteers, whom I may not pay much for their work due to financial constraints. Therefore one of the ways I make sure they deliver is to make sure their they have all the resources they need to get the job done, without incurring any personal costs.

I work with volunteers, whom I may not pay much for their work due to financial constraints. Therefore one of the ways I make sure they deliver is to make sure their they have all the resources they need to get the job done, without incurring any personal costs.

Delegating is a key leadership quality and can take time to refine. In my early days as a manager and leader, I had to learn that there is more than one path to complete a project or assignment and to effectively delegate, I had to be open to a new way of getting the job done. To continue to encourage autonomy in those to whom you've delegated, you have to allow for them to figure out the best way to implement or achieve the goal. You also have to allow for occasional failures or missteps - we learn from our mistakes. It's easy to want to prevent failure or to "hover" nearby but then our team will never learn. I've seen too many nonprofits rely on 1 or 2 people or ALL decision-making. In some cases that can be 500 decisions within a month!

A key component of encouraging autonomy is repeatedly showing your team that they can come to you if they need it. Knowing that if they try to come up with the answer on their own but just can't, that they still have the ability to seek your guidance without feeling intimidated or concerned that they will be judged negatively for not being able to complete the task. Let them know it's ok to fail, but it isn't ok to hide that failure. It's ok to ask about extending a deadline when they know they won't be able to meet it, not at the time of the deadline. It allows them to be able to take the risks they may need to to grown on their own, knowing their supervisor will still have their back.

Empower your team members to make decisions and take ownership of their work. Trusting their judgment fosters a sense of responsibility and encourages innovation.

After the most qualified person or team has been selected to handle the task, trust them to do it well. I like quote, “I’’m a professional, trust me to do my job well.” Offer advice or requiring they do things how someone else wants it done, is debilitating to a professional and wastes time. The professional on the job may feel like their hands are tied which is less productive and can be frustrating instead of productive. Instead offer encouragement and praise for their accomplishments and for taking the lead and using their talents, skills, expertise and experience to achieve results.

Encouraging autonomy in the workplace means trusting employees to make decisions and take initiative in their roles. Provide clear objectives and guidelines, then empower them to find their own solutions and approaches. For example, instead of micromanaging a project, give employees the freedom to devise their own strategies and problem-solving methods. This approach fosters a sense of ownership and responsibility, leading to increased motivation and innovation among team members.

It can be time consuming to set another meeting, however by not checking in on team members, the work may be stalled or end up taking a different direction than it should be going. If that goes on too long without a check-in, more time could be wasted correcting the issue later. Without regular checkin times, or weekly meetings, a team member may not want to bug you for a simple answer they need to do their job effectively and it may become frustrating to them not to have clear directions or just a few minutes to talk through an item or company expectations. It’s possible you have access to what the board or stakeholders want but the person tasked to work on it might not know what you do or have your perspective. Communication is key.

Regularly check in with your team to track progress and address any challenges or obstacles they may be facing. This allows you to provide guidance and support as needed to keep projects on track.

To effectively monitor employees' progress and foster their development, it's crucial to provide regular feedback, encourage open communication, and recognize their achievements. Regular feedback sessions, whether through one-on-one meetings or team discussions, offer opportunities to discuss strengths, areas for improvement, and address any challenges. Open communication channels empower employees to share updates, seek clarification, and voice concerns, fostering transparency and trust within the team.

Utilize technology where you can on task completion updates - Teams, Asana, Planner, etc. all provide very easy methods for a team to instantly update one another on their progress. Using technology frees us from spending time with updates and allows for greater usage of your meeting time for problem solving, encouragement/advice, and vision-casting what's to come based on the progress tracked in your system. If you are a leader of people - seek to help manage obstacles versus tasks. Ask how you can remove barriers for success and how you can assist in paving the way for your employees. Management says "What have you done?" and Leadership says "What can I do for you?"

Recognize and celebrate achievements, no matter how small. This not only boosts morale but also reinforces the value of everyone's contributions to the organization's overall mission.

Like most people, if you say ‘thank you’ to me or offer appreciation for a job well done, I’ll give you ten times the effort. By holding team members or grantees efforts in high regard, acknowledging and celebrating their successes, they are more likely to be motivated and produce higher quality work, which is essential in driving the mission and impact forward.

The power of praise and affirmation is a great tool in motivating people to continue along a difficult path. Celebratory awards and recognition dinners can be an important part of that process.

Some of the best advice I received as a new mom was, "Dads do things differently. That doesn't make it wrong, it just makes it different." Oh, is this sooo true! The same goes for pretty much any work that we're delegating to or sharing with someone else. We have to relinquish the idea that there's only one way to do the work or one way to achieve the results. When we ask someone else to accomplish tasks we have to also release the ownership of how those tasks get accomplished. We can give suggestions and should always establish the end goal, deadline and any necessary guide rails. But, we also have to release some of the control, and be OK with that!

Recognise passion for mission - effective philanthropy thrives more on inner drive and passion. To effectively delegate in a philanthropy career, it is important to delegate where passion for mission is recognisable.

I think that when delegating tasks consider the following: * best person to delegate the task to and then consider: * time frame *work load *impact on the person's assignments * also consider the expected outcome(s) and the impact on other team members-- consider discussing the assignment with other senior staff and getting their feedback

Delegate tasks effectively in a philanthropic career by understanding projects, matching tasks to volunteers' skills and interests, communicating clearly, empowering volunteers, providing support and recognition, offering feedback, and fostering a positive environment.