The Art of Delegation by Jessica Pett
Delegation is a skill every leader needs to work on to be successful. In this issue of the Pulse, we explore why. Enjoy! Regards, Lee Balaklaw
As a leader, it can be intimidating to delegate tasks and there are many potential reasons
for the hesitancy.?
- They may lack the confidence it takes to assign duties?
- They may feel it will take longer to explain the task rather than just doing it themselves?
- They may enjoy doing certain tasks themselves?
- They may feel guilty adding anything more to a colleague’s plate?
While these factors can be hard to overcome as a leader, the benefits certainly outweigh the uncertainties.??
In this article, we discuss the ways in which the art of delegation can be an effective management tool.?
Delegation can create an efficiency that is beneficial to all parties involved. Higher level management are awarded with more time to focus on their high priority tasks, while middle management and their teams can assist in getting other meaningful tasks completed. With this strategy in place, the workplace can function like an autonomous machine when done correctly.??
Let’s take a look at some steps
to achieve effective delegation in the workplace.?
- Identifying the tasks that can be delegated. Of course, not everything can be assigned away, but labelling each task on your to-do list with a level of importance will help you determine what can. Maybe you have a team member who really excels in a certain area or has workplace goals that completing a certain task could help them achieve. What on your to-do list could be mutually beneficial for you to get off your plate??
- Be okay with letting go of control. Many newer managers and leaders struggle with the idea of losing control over the outcomes of the work being done. Think of it this way- you’ve likely had a hand in the hiring of those on the other end of your delegation. They were chosen for the job because they are good at what they do, practice having trust in their abilities to complete the task-at-hand based on all of the reasons they were hired in the first place.?
- Know your team and their strengths. Delegating a creative task to an analytical numbers person isn’t going to work. Make time to understand the skill sets of each of your team members so that when tasks are delegated to them, you can feel confident that they will do a great job in completing it.?
- Provide training and guidance. Contrary to some of the previous points made, it is also important not to blindly assign work, simply because that member of your team ‘should know’ what to do. When delegating, it is important to outline your expectations for the task, provide any necessary context, and offer a helping hand throughout the process if needed. Maybe regular 1:1 check-ins would be beneficial throughout the completion process??
- Allow differing results- but verify. Everyone does things differently; learn to understand that the work is not going to come back exactly the way you would have done it, and that’s ok! The focus here is that the work is being completed effectively. Constructive feedback can be helpful but putting trust into your team member to complete the task to the best of their ability is too. Ultimately, you will still verify that the work has been done to the standard you require. After all, the quality of the work will reflect the person who delegated it.?
- Give credit where credit is due. Delegating work should be a mutually beneficial process; you reduce your workload, and your team gets to develop new skills and work on important projects. While you, as the leader, may be praised by other department managers for a job well-done, it is important not to take credit if it’s work you’ve delegated. A strong team consists of effective team players and a part of that means appreciating colleagues who lend a hand in lightening your load.??
Being able to delegate work is the perfect way to practice your leadership skills while also giving your team the opportunity to develop their skills too. The art of delegation is a mutually beneficial ideology that can and should be adopted throughout all of the workforce and has the ability to set you and your team up for success.??