CEO’s who excel in delegating generate an additional 33% in revenue for their companies. These executives know that they cannot accomplish everything alone and they delegate effectively to their teams. By doing this, it frees up their time to focus on activities that will yield the highest returns, it builds trust among their team and it empowers their employees. Delegation is a vital management skill, but for some, it is the hardest skill to put into practice.
There are many reasons why managers might shy away from delegating work, such as:
- Thinking it will take longer to explain the task than by completing it themselves.
- Wanting to feel indispensable to their team by being the keeper of specific knowledge.
- Enjoying completing certain projects, so prefering not to reassign them.
- Feeling guilty about adding more work onto another employee’s to-do list.
- Lack of confidence or trust in who they need to transfer the project to.
- Believing that they are the only ones who can do the job right.
Delegation is defined as the shifting of authority and responsibility for particular functions, tasks or decisions from one person (usually a leader or manager) to another. It refers to the transfer of responsibility for specific tasks from one person to another. Here are some ways you can start delegating more effectively to cultivate high-performing teams.
Delegation Tips for Managers:
- Know What to Delegate. Not every task can be delegated. As a manager you should identify the day-to-day activities that don’t require your oversight and can be delegated to your team. Activities that could be done better by someone else or if there is a task that could help your team member to learn should be the first tasks to be delegated.
- Play to Your Employees’ Strengths and Goals. Leveraging and playing to your employee’s strengths will increase their chances of excelling in their roles. Delegate tasks that allow them to utilise their skills as this will keep them motivated and engaged. Every team member should have goals they’re working toward and within these goals are opportunities for you to delegate. If you have a team member who is looking to gain management experience for example, you could identify some tasks that will allow that person to develop their skills in that area.
- Define the Desired Outcome. It is important that when you are delegating work, you should have clear objectives and outline what your expectations are in terms of the timeline and the metrics you’ll use to measure the success of the completed work. Simply dumping work onto someone else’s plate without setting expectations is not delegating effectively.
- Establish a Clear Communication Channel. Do not fall into the trap of micromanaging. However, you do want to establish a communication channel so that the person you are delegating to feels comfortable asking questions and providing progress updates. Setting up regular check-ins can help with this, and it is an efficient way to monitor the progress along the way.
- Be Patient. As a manager, you are likely to have more experience in your field. As a result of this, a task that you can complete in 30 minutes might take one of your team a full hour to complete. Do not fall into the trap of not delegating certain tasks because of this. Over time the team member will become more competent and confident completing the task and the work will get done faster.
- Allow for Failure. If you are a perfectionist, you might avoid delegating tasks as you think your way is the only way to get work done. Be open to new ideas and approaches your team member might have. You need to allow for failure, as your team member is learning or experimenting with new ways to complete a task, failure is inevitable.
- Deliver Feedback. In addition to monitoring progress, you should also deliver feedback to your team member after the tasks you have delegated are completed. Do not be afraid to offer constructive feedback to ensure the employee learns from their experience. On the other hand remember to give positive feedback, give credit and show your appreciation when a task has been done well.
I hope you enjoyed reading this article and that you have gained some tips that will help you to delegate effectively. Please share this article with anyone who might benefit from it.