In general, many supervisors, team leaders, managers, and bosses find delegation difficult and sometimes impossible. Or they delegate and then micromanage the delegated project so that whoever is tasked with the work is destined to fail.
One of the first and most important lessons that anyone with direct reports learns is that effective delegation is a key to managerial success. No manager can - or should even try to - do everything on their own because a) it’s impossible and b) the manager will fail, as will the work. However, delegation is more than just giving out unwanted or unpleasant tasks. A great deal of thought and skill is involved in delegation, including understanding when it’s appropriate and to whom.
There’s no single right way (as with most aspects of running a successful organisation), but there are some accepted rules for delegation. The first and most important step towards delegating any task is to ensure that the right people are in place to whom you can delegate. If you can’t trust the people available to you to handle a task independently, you need different or new people. Unless the task is so unusual - and on the assumption that you’re delegating work that should fit within your (and your team’s) area of responsibility - there shouldn’t be an issue of ability to deliver. When mastering delegation, nothing makes the process easier than knowing there are trustworthy individuals to handle the responsibility. All this is very easy to write and hard to do, but if you’re in any supervisory capacity, you’re there to sort things like this out - and you possibly have others in the organisation who can help and advise you.
Getting the wrong people out and new ones in, of course, isn’t a five-minute job, particularly given the state of legislation and HR processes. So, you may need to insist that the current members of your team are retrained or trained in new skills. Again, that’s not a quick fix either. However – and this is the point – there’s no point in delegating something to someone you know won’t be able to deliver it. There’s also the unpleasant issue of blame: many managers don’t consider delegation a problem and will always blame the worker who cannot deliver. Some managers put up with the status quo simply because that’s the hand they've been dealt, and they accept that they have ‘poor’ staff. These ‘poor’ staff will find themselves as recipients of harsh words and probably more. That’s of no use to anyone, least of all the organisation.
Many tasks need delegation, and some do not. Managers need to be careful about the tasks they delegate, and they must ensure they focus not just on the tasks they want to do but on the ones they need to do, using their time and skills in the best possible way.
That leaves other projects to delegate. You have to know that the person you’re delegating to understands the brief (which doesn’t happen so often) and fully understands the checking process and the clear objectives. Clear and concise instructions should always accompany an assignment; a delegated assignment without proper instructions (and clear, understood instructions) is doomed. Those unclear about managerial expectations can’t hope to get the initial and continued guidance they need. Suppose you’re eventually frustrated and unhappy with the entire situation because the project isn't going well. In that case, you can be reasonably sure that part of the problem was in the briefing and detail of expectations. That’s you. Blame is an easy dustbin to fall into, and it’s essential that you don’t. If you delegate, you still have accountability, and you’ll need to look at yourself just as much as the person you’ve delegated.
It's worth reiterating an important point. When delegating any task, you must focus on the absolute outcome you want and less on the individual's path to reach it. Every person approaches any task slightly differently. A different path to the same outcome isn’t a bad thing. When it comes to effective and efficient delegation, you need to expect that your delegated member of staff is going to (and probably should) take his/her approach to complete it, and you’ll need to trust that the outcome is going to be what they want – just as much as what you want. Suppose you consider companies like Amazon, Google, Apple, and many others, including those in the creative sectors (and others). In that case, they all operate this approach of allowing people to manage a delegated project in their way, and the results are, by and large, creative and productive. Of course, this approach would not be suitable where a legal or expressly prescribed methodology is involved, such as in the science, pharma, and engineering sectors. Similarly, health and safety demands for a certain process must come first.
For delegation to work properly, quality communication is key. It’s often overlooked, and it’s the main cause of all corporate failure. No team member wants to feel abandoned and unsupported when given a task by their boss. Receiving an occasional “How’s it going?” in the lift is also unacceptable. Continual (but not overbearing or micro) support can make the entire delegation process go smoothly. Clear and concise communication (verbal as well as written) and precise answers to questions are key. Individuals should feel they can expect and receive agreed and regular communication from their manager. But that’s a two-way street; everyone involved in a delegated task must know communication rules. And it’s down to you as a manager to set those rules. Once set, you can expect compliance. Also, it’s important that a wider group of people – maybe the whole organisation (as appropriate, obviously) – understands the project, what’s happening, and who’s doing what, when, and why.
Feedback is part of good communication, too, of course. Make sure to contribute both positive and (constructive) negative feedback, so the delegated person or people will understand what’s going well and where/how they need to improve. Do not leave this to the ‘end’. Then it’s too late. Exceptional performance is more likely to continue if it's recognised and rewarded. It’s important to follow through when someone performs particularly well, and you can be generous with whatever is appropriate within your organisation (such as a bonus or a promotion). Forget this at your peril. If the work veers long away from your communicated guidelines and, despite assistance, you take decisive corrective action. Don’t wait too long either. You're not favouring anyone by stepping back entirely when things go drastically wrong. End the assignment or change the team and move on. Managing that may need sensitivity, depending on the reason for non-delivery.
Earlier, we mentioned micromanagement, a common problem and one that's extremely annoying. It’s what happens if you delegate something and then insist that the task be delivered the way you would, with daily checks and sometimes more frequent ones. Delegating is all about helping managers like you save time by having other capable people or teams take over other responsibilities. Unfortunately, many managers struggle with letting go when delegating and spend just as much time looking over their team members' shoulders as they would if they were doing the project themselves. That will result in disaster, a waste of everyone’s time, and probably a resignation. Possibly project failure as well. You should always look for ways to strengthen your team and make it a better and more successful unit. Not the reverse.
Fear is a driver in the world of delegated tasks. Fear can be something that sits within the person you’ve delegated the task to. He or she may not mention it (why would they?), but you have to know if they are afraid of failure or simply unsure whether they have the skills to deliver. You need to know. Of course, the world is the world, and not all delegation tasks will go smoothly. Some people may rise to the occasion and exceed expectations, while others may fall short. Successful managers know that these situations aren’t a reason to take back responsibility but rather an opportunity to learn from the failure and recognise where things went wrong and how they can be remedied in the future. But many hiccups stem from fear of failure, and you, as a manager, will need to address it. And there’s often a reticence in all of us to go into some ‘territories’ that are new or different.
So, sometimes delegation means that individuals to whom a task is given must step outside their comfort zone. Everyone has a comfort zone - we all do - and a lot of people, no matter their role, hate stepping out of it. It’s cold, it’s scary, and it can mean failure. People do not want to get even close to failing. Very few like risk, but most don’t. (Of course, risk-takers often fail and then succeed, but that’s a separate topic). When delegating tasks, you, as a manager, must be willing to push your team members to step outside their comfort zones and see what they can do. The fear of failure is worth discussing with them, too. It’s common. We all have it, so it shouldn’t be the big off-the-table topic.
Any delegated task must be accompanied by a delegation of authority – the power and sufficient resources to get the job done. Too much restriction will result in something less than adequate, and blame will become a regular part of everyone’s vocabulary. But, equally, there’s no huge value in being over-generous because that can lead to sloppy and expensive cul-de-sacs. Like any project, a delegated task should be costed out properly to include every likely aspect that will aid delivery. Authority may include giving the employee the power to spend money, travel, seek assistance from others, internally and externally, or make decisions within the set ‘rules’. This authority has to be crystal clear from the outset so that it’s not under-stepped or abused. There will be little point if the person charged with a project keeps having to refer back to their boss each time a decision is made.
Managers sometimes view planning as a hindrance to getting work done, but planning to delegate is an investment in people and the organization's culture. It's a good thing, not a bad thing. So, when assigning a task, consider the assignee’s demonstrated skill sets, mindset, interest in the task, and current workload. Know his or her success on similar assignments - how they work with others, when they or operate best, and how well they deliver under pressure. Explain both the goals of the task, the reason for it in the greater scheme of things, and the standards that will be used to measure results. Make sure the goals are specific, attainable, relevant, and measurable.
Delegation is not just about finding ways to dump your responsibilities onto others’ shoulders. That route demonstrates poor management and will probably lead to your downfall, let alone your team’s. Keep considering the benefits of doing things well because the results can be terrific. One study found that 53% of business owners believe they can grow their business by more than 20% if they delegate only 10% of their workload to someone else. That's terrific.
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