Art of Delegating

Whether you’re a manager at work, owner of your own business, or simply working on a school project, effective delegation is one of the keys to achieving your goals.

A leader manages time, resources & people. A leader does not do everything himself/herself, rather he/she marshals all of these elements on the pathway to success.

Delegating frees up your time so you can tackle the truly important aspects of your mission/ business /project.

A leader should be in charge of the overall direction of a team; he/she is the one looking ahead, steering the course & making needed corrections to avoid getting off track. But buried in the small details, you will lose the big picture and fail to see that the mission is falling apart until it is too late.

Delegating increases the morale, confidence, and productivity of subordinates

By trusting your team & accepting that you can’t do it all, you’ll accomplish much more as a group than you could have ever accomplished alone. Here are some insights into how to find the right balance for you.

A big mental road block to delegation is that "If you want something done right, then do it yourself." You may be the only person who can do it right at this very moment, but if you take the time to train someone, they'll probably be able to do it right, too.

Compliments go a long way, and will give the person a sense of being needed and a sense of purpose.

Take a clear stock of the tasks you have on hand and assess which ones aren’t using your time and skills to their fullest.

For those tasks that emerge as delegate-able, understand the strengths required to complete the task and identify person/team who can be assigned the task.

When you delegate a task, tell the person why you chose them-why you think their particular talents are well-suited for the project. 

Not picking the best person for the job simply handicaps your project before it even begins.

ISay "Thank You." When someone does something for you, it is important to thank him or her, acknowledge the importance of his or her help, and let the helper know s/he is appreciated. Otherwise, you'll appear ungrateful, even if you're not.

It is crucial for a leader to show those he leads that he trusts them.

Once you delegate a responsibility, you are placing your trust in that subordinate to carry out the task. 

Instead of requiring people to do the work exactly how you would have, respect and appreciate the varied styles your teams use to get to the end result. Make sure the technical aspects of the task are clearly defined, but allow room for independent thought. If you’ve hired well, your mentorship will plant the seed for some great ideas you may never have even considered.

Let your delegate trust in the fact that, if something comes up, you will understand and help him or her to meet that deadline.

The person you chose to delegate to might not grasp exactly what you’re saying the first time around. They may put in a good faith effort but fall short. Don’t use this as an excuse to snatch responsibility back. Use it as a learning tool to recognize where the process went wrong and how it can be made better.

Periodically follow-up with the person, not necessarily to stick your nose in what they’re doing, but to see if they have any questions or concerns that need to be addressed.

A simple heartfelt acknowledgement like, "I couldn't have done it without you!" can go a long way. 

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About the writer

Ismail is a passionate change agent with more than 14+ years of global experience in training & organizational development arenas. He has delivered several programs at top MNC across India. He has handled training assignments across the spectrum of key industries from lower level to managerial level. He brings with him 12+ years of experience from Infosys, where he was employed as operations manager.