effective delegation

Delegation: an essential management skill for astounding business results in 2011

By Chris Halward, Managing Director, True North

The value of delegation

Let me pose a question: is there a limit to the amount that one person can do by themselves?

I think we can agree that whilst some people are able to work incredibly hard even they have a limit.  For many - and often those who are working incredibly hard - the limits of what they can do cause them to feel stressed and overloaded.  For some it begins to impact on the performance of their area of responsibility, and ultimately on their own performance.  This is despite their working hard and putting in many, many hours of overtime.

Becoming an effective delegator is a technique that can have an extraordinary impact.

Effective delegation will:

  • reduce stress,
  • improve the quality of the work done,
  • help to develop the capability of others and
  • improve performance.

Why managers don't do it

So if delegation is so powerful why don't all managers do it?

The reasons vary but these are some of the reasons we hear.

  1. It's quicker for me to do it myself
  2. It is too important to risk someone else getting it wrong
  3. I feel uncomfortable asking people to do things for me
  4. If I delegate everything I might be out of a job!

All these reasons are valid but they should not mean that a manager doesn't delegate.

It can be true that it takes more time for a task to be done if it first has to be explained to someone else.  However, that person will then be able to do the task the next time it arises but without the explanation being required.

With delegation there is an element of risk but this can be successfully managed by following the rules for delegation.

A common reason is a manager feeling perhaps that he will be criticised for 'getting others to do the real work'.  Often this arises when the wrong tasks are delegated, or perhaps the right tasks but for the wrong reasons.

Delegation cartoon

Delegating the right tasks for the right reasons will in fact motivate team members who will not then criticise the manager.  It is important for a manager to consider carefully the task and who should be doing it.

And finally, the old chestnut; the manager worrying that they will delegate their job away.  Delegating frees up the manager to do other tasks that are more appropriate to their pay grade.  The good manager will certainly be anything but idle.  The will be busy and effective, without being stressed.  Indeed, it will often be the case that the manager who is able to effectively delegate does lose their job - because they are given a promotion to a better one!  Those who aren't able to delegate become stuck.

Rules of delegation

  1. Be clear - explain the desired outcome, provide a reason why the job needs to be done.
  2. Ensure that the person is capable of doing the job - they have the competencies, the authority and the tools (CAT)
  3. Agree how the job should be done - ideally let them explain how they will do it rather than simply instructing them.  However, this will depend on what you are delegating and to whom.
  4. Agree timelines / deadlines and review points - and make sure you do diligently review progress.
  5. Assure them of your support, and also that whilst they are responsible to you to do a good job, you ultimately remain accountable.

Of all the management skills we train and coach, delegation is the one the can have the biggest impact.

It is also a skill that can take considerable effort for managers to become effective.  Our coaching approach works particularly well in helping managers to reflect on how they currently work, how they can change and then, most importantly, how they WILL change.

 

Chris Halward

Chris is a director of True North(GB) Limited (www.truenorthgb.com ) a leading training and coaching business.

He can be contacted on 0845 130 5500, or at chrish@truenorthgb.com