Are you having a problem with delegation? Maybe you are afraid that you will lose some control or power as a manager if someone else completes a task for a certain project. Could it be that you are not sure how to select the right people to do the job that you have previously done? Whatever the reason, keep reading, and you’ll find out four really obvious ways to make this managerial duty easier to perform.
The Delegation Process
There is a process to delegation. The first step is to decide what to delegate. You’ll spend a lot of time on this step as it will drive the other four steps in the process. This is where a manager really needs to know his or her team. Who are they when they are at work? Are they driven, enthusiastic, skilled, challenged, and trustworthy? Who needs more experience with bigger projects? Who is suffering from low morale and needs attention to personal growth initiatives?
A team is composed of more than one member. That means you and several others. The team can be as big or small as you deem necessary as long as each person meets a need that will make the project run more efficiently.
Here are those Obvious Ways to Delegate
- Specify what kinds of work you want to delegate and why – Here is where you have to separate yourself from your personal attachments. Sure, the members of your team may not use the same methodology as you would to get the task completed but that doesn’t mean they are not getting the job done. To get the ball rolling, what is needed from you is to list what work can be performed by staff other than you and why it needs to be outsourced.
- Choose the right person to delegate to – The person you choose could be because they have the experience, the skills, they need the skills, they show interest in the project or they can handle the task quickly.
- Use a model for successful delegation – This includes the five steps of the delegation process of which this is an elaboration of the first step. Each project has its own challenges and therefore will need a tweaking to the delegation process sometimes. The steps will basically stay the same. Some team members may need more explanation or more guidance on bigger tasks to ensure they are handling things well.
- Identify your delegation strengths and target areas for improvement – Are you always choosing the same person for expediency? Is it hard to inspire your staff? Are you afraid to burden the staff with too much work? Work through your potential weaknesses in delegation by recognizing them and implementing a plan to tackle them.