In a collaborative workplace, being in a leadership position requires effective delegation.
The old adage, that if you want something done right, you have to do it yourself, simply doesn’t belong in the modern workplace. Workers today can’t afford to try tackling every task on their own if they hope to keep up with the pace of business. Under these circumstances, being a good delegator is not only extremely helpful but necessary.
“A lot of leaders can’t get to this point because they either don’t know how to or they’re afraid of delegating. Maybe they think it will take too long to train someone effectively, or if they delegate too much, they’ll have nothing left to do,” Jay Steinfeld, founder and CEO of blinds.com, explains on CBS News. “And often the more competent they are, the harder it is to delegate. They’re afraid the work won’t get done at all, or more likely, it won’t be done according to their high standards.”
How to Delegate Effectively for Long-Term Success
It can be difficult to cede responsibility to someone else, but learning to do so is the first step toward effective delegation of authority. It’s also important to remember that even when handing duties over to an employee, final authority for a given project still rests with the manager.
“Delegation is not abdication. The manager still has the ultimate accountability for the assignment. That’s why it is important for you to establish appropriate controls and checkpoints to monitor progress,” small business guide Directory Journal notes. “Besides, managers should give delegatees the appropriate authority to act along with clear expectations including any boundaries or criteria. The manager, however, should try to avoid prescribing HOW the assignment should be completed.”
Avoiding micromanagement is crucial when delegating authority appropriately. Hovering over an employee and trying to control their work through every step of the process is not an efficient use of time or energy, and may actually impede progress on the assignment. Instead, checking in after an agreed-upon interval, such as at the mid-point of the project, can be a much more effective way of monitoring performance.
If you notice the worker or team is way off base, you may be itching to micromanage the rest of the project but it’s crucial to resist this urge. Rather, reassess whether you made your request as clear as possible and whether your people are capable and determined to excel. If you need to further clarify the assignment, do so immediately. If your employees are not capable and motivated, you may need to consider reassigning the work to someone else.
How to Delegate Authority When You’ve Never Done It Before
For those new to delegating authority, or for leaders who have trouble passing on responsibilities, delegating effectively can seem daunting. But it’s a manageable process when broken down into a clear set of steps. Career development firm MindTools offers the following tips for delegating authority properly:
- Clearly articulate goals and boundaries — Employees should know the desired outcome for the project and have the end goal in mind. They should also be told the constraints and limitations in the project in terms of lines of authority and when to take initiative versus asking for guidance or permission.
- Include people in the process — Whenever possible, it helps to empower employees to decide which tasks should be delegated to them and when it should happen.
- Match responsibility with authority — A greater amount of delegated responsibility should come with a corresponding level of authority to make decisions. However, remember that final accountability rests with the manager.
- Delegate authority to the lowest possible level — The people closest to the work are best suited for handling it because they have intimate knowledge of the day-to-day requirements needed to accomplish the task.
- Provide support — To improve the odds of success, maintain ongoing communication with team members, periodically monitor progress, and be open to answering questions, as well as sharing credit for the work.
- Focus on results — Pay closer attention to what is accomplished than how the work is done. Your way of doing things may not be the only way — or the best way — of reaching the goal.
- Avoid reverse delegation — If a mistake is made, don’t let an employee shift the blame back onto you. Instead, look for solutions from the people directly involved in the work.
- Build commitment — Motivate workers by emphasizing how their project will affect the company’s success or open up new opportunities for the future. Remember to provide recognition whenever it is due.
- Maintain control — Don’t forget about your involvement in the assignment. Discuss and establish clear deadlines, set a schedule for checking in, be sure to review all completed work, and make adjustments to the plan when needed.
“Managers delegate work not to just relieve their workload, but to allow the employees they supervise to grow professionally. Effective delegation is a two-way discussion and understanding,” Career Know-How explains. “Use effective delegation to benefit both yourself and the person to whom you delegate.”
This article was originally written by Ilya Leybovich in 2011 and was updated by Helen Carey in 2019.