One of the toughest challenges leaders—and managers by extension—face, is in learning how to delegate effectively. With the amount of work that floods into the office every day, there are always new tasks to address and additional problems that arise with each one. When managers are able to prioritize better and ensure they have time for their team, employees become more capable of getting through their work rather than settling for a scattered manager who leaves multiple assignments unfinished. Effective delegation can mean the difference between a job that was rushed and one that was really well done, so creating a delegation task guide is a good first step for companies that want to get it right.
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How to Delegate Effectively—Learning to Get Organized with Care
You might have heard the term time and again, but what is delegation? The concept of delegation involves assigning tasks to other employees so they can work on meeting the required criteria. Managers are usually tasked with handing out work to their employees regularly, whether that’s on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis. Some assignments are time-bound, and some have immediate goals, but the uniting aspect here is that they all need to get done. This level of work distribution falls within a manager’s usual routine, however, there are often additional responsibilities that come up and require immediate attention.
A manager might choose to handle these new assignments on their own and get them done themselves, but there aren’t always enough hours in a day to make it possible. Especially during times like these, delegation becomes necessary. A manager preoccupied with superficial responsibilities will not have the time to oversee any of their usual duties. leaving the quality of their employees’ work to chance. Effective delegation—timely delegation—can chop the task up into more manageable bits and ensure that those with more time on their hands can get it done instead.
Understanding and Overcoming Delegation Challenges
Overcoming the many delegation challenges can be the first step to creating an effective strategy so it’s essential to understand what’s preventing you from getting started. Having reservations against delegating is only natural, yet identifying them can give you the solution to resolving them. Some of the many reasons we hesitate to delegate include:
- Worry that delegating will take too long with the assumption that addressing it yourself is quicker
- Lack of trust in the employees’ abilities to handle it
- No prior system of delegations or a lack of clarity on whether you have the authority to delegate
- Worry that you will be held responsible for someone else’s mistake
- Improper time management that tricks you to feel like you have enough time to handle it
- Desire to be the face of the project or lead an interesting assignment
- Fear of asking for help as it might suggest that the work goes beyond your abilities
- Guilt over increasing another employee’s workload
Guide to Delegating Tasks Without Hesitation
Once you understand the concept of effective delegation and why you’ve been holding off from sharing the workload, you can begin working on your strategy for delegating effectively. This might require a conversation with your seniors and employers on how to delegate effectively, just to understand the company’s policies around it. Talking it out will clear up your own doubts about what is and isn’t within your authority to delegate so you can ensure you handle the important tasks yourself and distribute the rest.
Understand the Strengths and Weaknesses of Your Employees
In order to trust your employees, you need to understand them well. Each employee is at the organization for a reason and they have the necessary skill sets to do their job. When you take the time to understand what they do well, it becomes easier to effectively delegate a task to them without giving in to the urge to become a backseat driver.
Create a List of Priorities
If you’re worried about handing out chores that are going to overwhelm employees, then consider creating a list of all the tasks at hand. Share those that fall within the employees’ abilities and are considerate of their existing work. Prioritizing tasks can make it easier to determine what needs to be resolved first and what timelines can be set for each one.
Create a Guide for Delegating Tasks—for Yourself and for Employees
You might understand your half of the delegation process but an employee might be unfamiliar with what is expected from them. Create clear guidelines for what needs to be done and how it should be accomplished. This can make it easier for everyone involved in the process, ensuring that you successfully overcome some of the challenges of delegation.
Do not hesitate to repeat instructions when necessary or explain the criteria again when someone gets stuck.
Errors Will Be Made—Be Patient
Trusting your employees and giving them all the resources they need is a good idea, and yet there will be times when an error is made. Understand what went wrong and address the issue rather than spending unnecessary amounts of time fixating on their mistake. This does not mean that the employee is not capable of handling a job—it only means that some changes need to be discussed again.
Be Respectful About Existing Deadlines and Responsibilities
Delegation is a great way to ensure that your job gets done, but it should not inhibit an employee’s usual responsibilities. If there is an assignment that takes priority, let your employees know that they can focus on it first and keep other tasks on hold. If they need an extension of some of their other work, explore it with them while assigning them a new role.
If an employee is currently unable to take on a new job, create a safe space where they feel comfortable discussing it openly. This way, you can ensure it goes to someone who can handle it instead of it piling up on an overworked employee’s desk. Flexibility is essential when learning how to delegate effectively.
Check In To Check Progress Without Overwhelming Them
While delegating work, set realistic timelines for every task and check in to ensure that no additional assistance is needed. Unfortunately, for a manager, delegating does not mean relaxing and taking it easy. It just means that the task occupies a little less of your time. As employees get to work on new chores, set a time to check in to see how they are doing without constantly peeking over their shoulders. This gives them the opportunity to get back to you with an update as they make some progress.
Team Empowerment through Delegation
Most often, your colleagues and employees are willing to help out and they take pride in the fact that you trust them with something important. Acknowledge their effort, reward them for a job well done, and see your team blossom into a more cohesive unit with every job they get done.
Once you get the hang of how to delegate effectively, you should be ready to share more responsibilities with the team when it is necessary. Start small with minor assignments until you get the hang of it and create your own personal guide for delegating tasks on a more regular basis.