Mastering the Art of Delegation - A Key to Leadership Excellence

With pressure mounting on organizational leaders from a variety of areas, the ability to delegate effectively is one of the most crucial traits of a successful leader.

Delegation is not just about assigning tasks; it's about empowering your team, creating growth, and driving organizational success. Yet, many leaders struggle with it, either out of a desire for control, or fear of inadequacy from their team.

Several years ago, while delivering leadership development training at a major global pharmaceutical organization, it became very clear that this was a real and pressing issue for them, which increased stress levels and frustration within its leaders..

I devised a simple but highly effective way to show them how effective delegation works and how it always leads to increased productivity and effectiveness within the team, while decreasing the stress in the leader.

So, why is delegation such an important trait for leadership excellence, and how can one develop and maintain this essential skill?

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The Importance of Delegation in Leadership

Delegation is another one of the cornerstones of effective leadership for several reasons:

1. Empowers Your Team - By delegating, you entrust your team with responsibilities that encourage ownership and accountability. This empowerment boosts morale and drives innovation as team members feel valued and trusted to contribute meaningfully.
2. Enhances Efficiency - No leader can do it all. Delegation allows you to focus on strategic decisions and high-impact activities while your team handles the operational tasks. This division of labour optimizes productivity and ensures that every aspect of the business gets the attention it deserves.
3. Creates Professional Growth - Delegating tasks that challenge your team members helps them develop new skills and grow professionally. This not only benefits them individually but also strengthens the overall capabilities of your organization.
4. Improves Decision-Making - When leaders delegate, they gain the time and mental space needed to think critically and make better decisions. Delegation ensures that leaders aren't bogged down by day-to-day tasks, allowing them to focus on long-term strategies.

"When someone can do something 80% as good as you, it is high time to delegate that responsibility."

Developing the Skill of Delegation

?For those aspiring to master delegation, here are some actionable steps:

1. Start Small - Begin by delegating smaller tasks to build trust and assess your team’s capabilities. This will help you gradually become comfortable with relinquishing control and provide your team with opportunities to prove themselves.

2. Understand Your Team’s Strengths - Effective delegation requires a deep understanding of your team’s skills, strengths, and weaknesses. Assign tasks that align with their strengths and provide the right level of challenge.

As a behavioural analysis consultant and trainer, I always talk into the importance of knowing ourstrengths and ‘areas for improvement’ BEFORE we can really get to understand others. People are different, but they are predictably different. A simple assessment with a debrief will provide us with those necessary insights and allow us to quickly see some of the main strengths in the people around us. (Providing them with an assessment is an even better option!)

It always fascinates me that organizations hire people without really understanding their behaviours, then complain when they ‘do not fit in’ or even leave soon after they arrived, looking for a different environment.

3. Communicate Clearly - Clear communication is key to successful delegation. Ensure that your expectations are well-defined, and provide the necessary resources and support. Regular check-ins can help track progress and address any challenges early.

When working with top levels of organizations, it becomes very clear that most of the challenges experienced in their teams are connected to communication challenges, whether simply a lack of clear communication, cultural differences, or language barriers due to English not being the main language spoken by many in diverse organizations, to lack of awareness of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging, in which my wife, Dr.Arthie Moore-Robberts is one of the foremost experts.

4. Build Trust - Trust is the foundation of delegation. Cultivate an environment where your team feels confident in taking on responsibilities and making decisions. Acknowledge their efforts and celebrate their successes to reinforce this trust.

In his book, “The Speed of Trust” ?the late Stephen Covey talks into the simple, often overlooked fact is this: work gets done with and through people.?

The Speed of Trust?offers an unprecedented and eminently practical look at exactly how trust functions in every transaction and every relationship—from the most personal to the broadest, most indirect interaction.

This book is most certainly worth studying.

5. Reflect and Adapt - After delegating, take time to reflect on the outcomes. What went well? What could be improved? Use this reflection to adapt your approach and continue developing your delegation skills.

I always recommend four questions for reflection on a daily basis which I learned from John Maxwell:

·????? What went well?

·????? What went badly?

·????? What could be improved on?

·????? What should never be repeated?

These simple questions will really assist in becoming more effective in your ever evolving approach, not just in delegation but every area of your life and leadership development.

Maintaining Delegation as a Leadership Trait

Developing delegation as a skill is one thing; maintaining it is another. Here’s how you can ensure you stay on track:

1. Regularly Assess Workloads - Continually evaluate the distribution of work within your team. Adjust delegations as needed to prevent burnout or underutilization of talents.

2. Develop a Learning Culture - Encourage ongoing learning and development within your team. When team members are continually enhancing their skills, they become more capable of handling delegated tasks.

3. Stay Open to Feedback - Invite feedback from your team on how delegation is working. This dialogue can provide valuable insights into how you can improve and ensure that your delegation efforts are effective and appreciated.

4. Lead by Example - Demonstrate the importance of delegation by being a role model. When your team sees you trusting them with important tasks, they are more likely to take ownership and perform at their best. (In one of my previous editions I wrote about the importance of being a positive role-model)

Delegation is a vital leadership trait that can significantly impact your team’s success and your own effectiveness as a leader. By understanding its importance, developing the skill, and maintaining it with conscious effort, you can enhance your leadership capabilities and drive your organization towards greater heights.

Take the step today to embrace delegation, and watch as your leadership excellence flourishes.

I hope this inspires you to look closely at your delegation practices and consider how you can further develop this essential trait. Let's connect and discuss how we can assist you to continue to grow as leaders of excellence in today’s dynamic world. You can reach me at my E-mail: [email protected]

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About Jan Robberts:

Having studied personal development and leadership since he was 17, he also gained tremendous experience in leadership, communication, and coaching, working directly with Leadership greats, such as John Maxwell and Les Brown.

He travelled around the world in the oil industry for several decades, so he intentionally and consistently worked on his personal growth whilst supervising and project managing multi-million dollar projects. This has developed and added tremendous value to his journey, personal growth and expertise.?

Jan is known as a Global Influencer & Self-Leadership Strategist. He is co-Founder of Ki Leadership Institute & Founder of JRs Speakers Club. He is a professional Leadership Keynote Speaker, Leadership and personal development Coach, Self-care strategist, Behavioural Analysis Consultant & Values Based Leadership Specialist and to date, has spoken and trained on 4 continents.

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https://www.kileadership.com