What do you do if your team members are not ready for delegation in healthcare?

Delegating tasks is actually an important skill. It is not simply about giving tasks to everyone. You have to know you team members well enough to know everyone’s strengths and weaknesses, what their skills are and assess if the task you want to delegate can be accomplished. This is not about calling people incompetent. It is knowing, as a leader, if I delegating the right task to the right person.

One of the things I found helpful in my own view are to do the assessment of the current incidence in order to understand whether it is due to lack of training, confidence, or understanding of delegation. Provide effective Training, and role-playing exercises, to help team members understand delegation. Building Confidence will also make team members feel comfortable delegating tasks and responsibilities. Sometimes starting small gradually makes team members become more comfortable and proficient in delegation. A clear clear expectations set will provide adequate guidance. Finally, celebrating successes and understanding past failures will encourage a culture of continuous learning and improvement.

Before delegating tasks, it's crucial to assess the skills and capabilities of your team members. Identify their strengths, weaknesses, and areas for development. For instance, if you're working in a healthcare setting, assess whether team members have the necessary clinical skills, knowledge of protocols, and understanding of patient care standards. This assessment could involve performance evaluations, skills assessments, or discussions about their comfort levels with various tasks.

Start by evaluating each team member's skills and capabilities. Understand their strengths, weaknesses, and areas where they may need improvement. For example, if you have a nurse who is excellent at patient care but struggles with administrative tasks like documentation, identify this gap in skills.

Be ready to pivot, which means drawing on additional resources who can facilitate delegation or reassessing your team's ability to perform specific tasks within your timeline. Delegation should remain fluid, but always moving toward a target endpoint.

Clearly communicate your expectations regarding delegation to your team members. Define the tasks that need to be delegated, along with the desired outcomes and timelines. In a healthcare context, this could involve setting expectations around patient care standards, adherence to protocols, documentation requirements, and communication with other healthcare professionals. For example, if delegating medication administration tasks, specify the procedures to be followed and emphasize the importance of accuracy and patient safety.

Clearly define what delegation entails and what is expected from each team member. Use specific examples and scenarios to illustrate how delegation can improve workflow and patient outcomes. For instance, explain that delegating tasks like data entry can free up more time for direct patient care, leading to better overall care quality.

Communication is THE most important skill in my opinion when it comes to building a relationship between leader and their team members. Communication comes in all shapes and forms. When delegating a task it becomes even more important to have proper communication to avoid misunderstandings, the need to micromanage, increased levels for stress and anxiety on both sides. Communicate clearly (I always prefer in written) what needs to be done, when do you need it, what anticipated challenges they may face, when you require that task to be done and even invite them to come talk to you if they have any questions.

In addition to setting expectations, it's crucial to establish clear timelines and deadlines for delegated tasks. Communicate specific deadlines and milestones, and ensure that team members understand the urgency and importance of completing tasks within the specified timeframes. This helps prioritize tasks effectively and ensures timely delivery of care to patients in healthcare settings.

You will transform the way you lead your team when you realize that they are not your direct reports, but instead, you are their direct support. By: 1) collaboratively setting expectations, 2) ensuring they have what they need to achieve those expectations, 3) regularly reassessing their progress, and 4) offering help when they are off track, you empower your people to solve problems, building their self-esteem while making your job easier.

When providing support it is also important to be a good listener as to if the new tasks is causing fear, anxiety or any other negative response. You want to navigate that effectively in a manner that is not dismissive. For example, the team may feel as if it is too much work. That is an opportunity to asses time management and productivity. This allows you to accurately determine the bandwidth of your team.

Offer necessary support and resources to help team members build confidence and competence in delegated tasks. This support may include training sessions, mentoring from experienced colleagues, access to educational materials, or opportunities for skill development workshops. In healthcare, provide access to relevant clinical guidelines, ongoing education on best practices, and opportunities for hands-on training in new procedures or technologies.

Offer training, resources, and guidance to help team members develop the necessary skills for delegation. This could include workshops, online courses, or one-on-one coaching sessions. Show them practical examples of successful delegation within the healthcare context. For instance, demonstrate how a medical assistant can assist with taking vital signs, allowing the nurse to focus on assessments and treatment plans.

In addition to offering support, it's essential to recognize and acknowledge the efforts and progress of team members as they take on new tasks. Providing positive reinforcement and feedback boosts morale and confidence, reinforcing the idea that their contributions are valued and appreciated. Celebrating small successes along the way can further motivate hesitant team members and reinforce their readiness for delegation in healthcare settings.

Create an environment where team members feel comfortable providing feedback on the delegation process. Encourage open communication and constructive feedback loops to address any concerns or challenges they may encounter. In healthcare, this could involve regular debrief sessions to discuss patient cases, identify learning opportunities, and address any issues that arise during task delegation. For example, encourage team members to share their experiences with delegated tasks, discuss any difficulties they encountered, and suggest areas for improvement.

It can be helpful to set review opportunities. Team members may find individual feedback opportunities helpful, and team feedback/review sessions can foster a ‘we’re in this together’ environment where feedback is welcomed.

Create an open and supportive environment where team members feel comfortable providing feedback and expressing concerns. Regularly check in with them to see how they're adjusting to delegation and if there are any obstacles they're facing. Encourage them to share their experiences and suggestions for improvement. For example, ask for feedback on how a recent delegation task went and what could have been done differently for better results.

In addition to creating an open dialogue, actively listen to the concerns and suggestions of team members without judgment. Validate their perspectives and demonstrate a willingness to address any challenges or barriers they may face in taking on new tasks. By fostering a culture of open communication and genuine concern for their input, you cultivate trust and collaboration within the team, which is essential for overcoming obstacles to delegation in healthcare settings.

Regularly monitor the progress of delegated tasks to ensure they are being completed effectively and efficiently. Provide feedback and guidance as needed to support continuous improvement. In healthcare, this could involve conducting regular audits of documentation, observing clinical practice, and soliciting feedback from patients and colleagues. Use key performance indicators (KPIs) to track progress and identify areas where additional support may be required.

Continuously monitor the progress of team members as they engage in delegation. Track key metrics such as task completion rates, quality of work, and overall productivity. Provide constructive feedback and recognition for achievements along the way. For instance, acknowledge a team member who successfully delegated and managed a complex patient case, highlighting the positive impact on workflow efficiency.

In addition to monitoring progress, regularly check in with team members to assess their comfort level and satisfaction with the delegated tasks. Encourage open communication about any challenges they may be facing and address any concerns promptly. This proactive approach demonstrates your commitment to their success and fosters a collaborative environment where team members feel supported in their roles within healthcare settings.

Be flexible and willing to adjust your delegation strategies based on feedback and changing circumstances. If certain tasks are not being completed satisfactorily, reassess the delegation process and consider alternative approaches. In healthcare, this might involve reallocating tasks based on team members' strengths, providing additional training or support in specific areas, or revising protocols to improve efficiency and effectiveness.

In the world of healthcare, flexibility, adaptability are key power skills. Often, things don’t go as planned, you need to readjust your strategies, your plan. As a leader rigidity can impact you and your team negatively. When your team approaches you about a plan that did not go as planned, you must refrain from having accusatory reactions that may make them feel like it’s their fault. Instead, I would take a second to listen what happened, what needs to be adjusted, what impact it has on the short and long term and what can I do to support the change of plan.

In addition to being prepared to adjust delegation strategies, consider involving team members in the decision-making process regarding task assignments and delegation methods. Solicit their input and suggestions for improvement, as they may offer valuable insights based on their firsthand experiences. Collaboratively refining delegation approaches not only enhances team engagement but also increases ownership and accountability among team members in healthcare settings.

The first step in empowering your team through delegation is to determine what you can delegate. There're two important factors when determining who to delegate work to. The first is to determine who has the appropriate skill set to complete the task efficiently.This requires leaders to understand the strengths and weaknesses of their team members and delegate different tasks to different members based on their abilities. The second factor in determining who to delegate work to is knowing the development goals of your team members and delegating tasks in a way that helps employees further these goals. The common thread in both factors is having a positive relationship with your team members.

Behaviour + Time + Commitment = Results Above is true for any situation including delegation. The most significant problems most organisations face are related to behaviours. I have never come across any organisation so far in my career, completely deplete of skills. Too often people get discouraged not seeing instant results. Results can often come in the form of catapult: hard work pushing it back to a point it plunges forward with results. However the process must go long enough to allow the results to materialize. Commitment is not just the process and efforts taken to achieve a task but also persistence with the maintenance process to ensure the achievement is lasting and continues to produce results.