No man is an island! While many small business owners may be able to manage the myriad of responsibilities during early days of operation, if the business is successful there will come a time when the workload becomes too heavy and they will have to delegate some of the tasks or risk collapsing under the weight. Yet, many managers, both new and experienced, hesitate to delegate tasks to subordinates. This mind-set is often the result of an over-reliance on the old adage “If you want something done right, do it yourself.” However, when delegation is viewed as an effective tool for developing employees, it becomes easier to do. There are certain basic principles underlying effective delegation that will serve to make it a win-win scenario for each party.
What follows are seven basis guidelines to help you learn the art of delegation:
1. Decide what to delegate. Delegation does not mean that you assign a task that is already part of the employee’s job duties. When you delegate, you hand-off one of your own task but maintain control and ultimate responsibility to see that the work is performed correctly.
2. Discuss desired outcomes. What will constitute successful completion of the assignment? Clarify these requirements with the employee who will be given the task but allow the person to use his or her own method to accomplish the result; micro-management is the nemesis of effective delegation
3. Define the scope of authority the employee will have. Ensure that the employee fully understands that ultimate responsibility for success lies with you as supervisor. Explain that while s/he may make independent decisions in carrying out certain aspects of the task, other parts will need your approval. Be as specific as possible with regard to the parameters of their decision-making authority. The instruction “Do whatever it takes to get the job done” may result in less-than desired results, especially if the employee violates accepted company standards or goes way over budget. It is a delicate balancing act: provide the employee with enough authority to accomplish the task but not so much that s/he veers too far off course.
4. Define the tasks the employee will perform. If necessary, provide a job description outlining the specific responsibilities the employee will have with regard to the task. After you have explained the scope of job duties and expected outcomes, ask the employee to repeat them back to you so that you are assured s/he has a firm grasp of what to do. If there is any discrepancy, be sure to review the details again.
5. Set a time frame. Don’t generalize but be specific regarding when you expect the task to be completed. It may be a good idea to set milestones if the task involves a relatively long process (e.g. editing a lengthy manuscript). If you are feeling magnanimous and say, “Work on it when you can,” you may not see results until your retirement party! In point of fact, employees actually like deadlines as it helps them structure their time most efficiently.
6. Follow-up on progress. Effective delegation requires that you monitor your employee’s progress every so often to determine if you can help in some way. Some employees may be hesitant to seek management assistance out of fear you will think they are not capable. As a result, you will never know that the train is about to derail unless you check-in. Follow-up meetings provide employees with the opportunity to discuss problem areas and ask questions. The frequency of such meetings will vary depending on the complexity of the task and the experience of the employee. You may need to schedule more frequent meetings with a new employee than with one who has been with the company for some time.
7. Avoid Reverse Delegation. For each task you delegate, choose the one member of your team for which it will present a significant learning opportunity. In effect, the task should require that they reach a bit beyond their comfort zone. Know that when they run into difficulty they may want to “reverse-delegate” the task back to you. It may be tempting to take back the work and, in extreme cases, even necessary to save your reputation with the firm. However, when a manager takes back a task that challenges an employee, that employee loses a valuable opportunity for professional growth. Rather than rush to rescue the employee, offer a bit more guidance and support so that s/he may see the project through to the end.
In summary, the art of delegation requires that expectations be established at the outset, tasks be clearly defined, progress be continuously monitored, feedback be consistently provided, and challenges worked through together. When done this way, delegation benefits not only you as supervisor by lightening your workload, but the employee as well in terms of stretching their limits and, after all, that is what professional development is all about.
