The art of delegation can be difficult to master, but it is a vital workplace skill. Effective delegation can save you time, energy and stress while building a strong, successful team who feel valued.
People often avoid delegating tasks, because they struggle to relinquish control or don’t have faith in the abilities of their colleagues, or simply because they lack confidence in themselves to delegate effectively. However, asking for help when you are overloaded allows you to make better use of your time and skills, shows you respect your colleagues and their talents, and enables you to pass on your knowledge and skills to others.
Delegation is not appropriate for every task, so before you delegate ask yourself a few questions:
- Is the task specifically your responsibility, or can it be done by anyone?
- Is there someone else who has (or can be given) the knowledge to do this task?
- Would this task be a good personal development opportunity for someone else?
- Is it a frequently occurring task? Would it save you time to show someone else how to do it?
- Do you have time to show someone else? Do you have time to answer their questions, check their progress and correct mistakes?
- Does the work need to be of a high standard? What would happen if the work was not completed successfully?
If you decide to delegate, you need to choose who you will entrust with the task. Make sure they have:
- The knowledge and skills needed (or the ability and time to learn them)
- The ability to work independently
- Enough time to complete the task without interrupting their own work
Once you have identified a suitable person to carry out the task, you need to make sure you delegate it to them effectively. Take these steps to ensure you’re being clear.
Start at the end
When describing the task you are delegating, focus on results. State clearly what the desired outcome is, and check this has been understood.
Set boundaries and responsibilities
Are they going to work independently? Do they have decision making responsibility, or should they check with you first?
Provide support
Make sure that you will be around to answer questions, and that you have given them all the resources they need for the task. Give constructive feedback, and recognition of good work. Good communication and monitoring are important, don’t just dump a task on someone and leave them to it. The opposite is equally as bad – try to resist your inner control-freak, constantly hovering in the background will get on their nerves and you’ll end up neglecting your own work.
Focus on the outcome
The key to avoiding coming across as over controlling or bossy is to let them do it their own way. Don’t obsess over processes and methods. Your way may work well for you, but it is not necessarily the best or only way to complete the task. Try to achieve a balance between giving them space to use their abilities while monitoring and supporting at the same time.
Keep control
Remember that although you have delegated this task, the buck still stops with you. Discuss deadlines and time-scales, agree when you will review their progress or when they will give you updates. Ask them to report any problems to you, and make sure you check all the work they complete.
Do it right
Don’t accept sub-standard or incomplete work. If they are having difficulties, help them to solve it but don’t allow them to pass the work back to you. It may seem easier, but they won’t learn how to do the task correctly and you only make more work for yourself.
Be patient
You may be proficient at the task, but remember that the person you delegate to is a learner and will therefore be slower than you, to begin with at least. You may feel like it would be quicker to do it yourself, but if you delegate correctly they will soon be as adept as you.
