The Art of Delegation

People in leadership positions often need to delegate given the amount of work they usually have. In many cases, leaders cannot (and probably should not) do everything on their own. In such instances, delegation can be a very effective tool. Not only does this practice gets things done it empowers team members, builds trusts between managers and subordinates, and accelerates career development. Effective delegation also helps management identify potential talent and future leaders or successors among the larger workforce.

Of course effective delegation is an art that involves a lot more than just handing over a job or a responsibility to someone else. A manager needs to know exactly what a team member is capable of, their strengths, interests, and areas of improvement before delegating tasks to them. In fact, the manner in which responsibilities should be delegated can differ from one person to another. Nevertheless, here are 6 tips for effective delegation:

1. Identify the right person: Make sure that the task is delegated to people who can handle it and are interested in doing it. If someone is not sure of whether they can do that work or not, look for someone else.
2. Provide context: When handing over a task to someone, let them know all the details possible, including the end objective, who the intended audience is, what the deadlines are, etc. This will help them explore different angles and perspectives when carrying out that activity.
3. Give accurate instructions: When delegating, share steps on how the activity can be done, resources that can be used and what needs to be done in case of a problem. In fact, conduct at least some training on how the job needs to be done. This helps the people complete the activity independently.
4. Empower them: Delegation isn’t just about handing over responsibility; it also requires handing over some authority to the person conducting the activity. Empower them with the tools they need to complete the task.
5. Review work & share feedback: When someone puts in their time and hard work into completing a task delegated to them, it becomes the managers duty to see how it was done and list down any areas of development.
6. Appreciate the effort: Regardless of how the activity was completed, once feedback is shared the manager should applaud the team member for taking on additional responsibility.

Managers who delegate effectively save time while getting the work done and at the same time, build trust and commitment among team members.