The Art of Delegation
Great Leaders Perfect The Art Of Delegation
Delegation is the act of empowering others to accomplish a task, it is a core or critical skill all leaders must have to be successful, delegation may be one of the most fundamental managerial skills, a great leader possesses the ability to enable through delegation to get things done. Good delegation gets great results if you are delegating effectively.
Managing is all about building a team. if you are going to build a team, your team members must be engaged in moving the team forward. That means giving the team meaningful work, giving team members enough room to take on that work on their own (or with their own team), and holding them accountable for the outcomes, in other words, it means effective delegation.
When you lead others, it is important to know that there is an art to delegating, if done correctly, you will find that your staff is more productive and happier as a result. When your people know you trust them enough to delegate an important task, it boosts their motivation to get the job done. Good delegation not only gets results but also increases the capabilities of the team.
Delegation is a key skill for all leaders, and necessary for any person wanting to get ahead. If you ever feel stressed and overwhelmed or feel as though your career or business has become stagnate, then it’s time to sharpen those delegation skills.
Here are A few tips to master the art of delegation:
- Leaders sometimes view planning as a hindrance to getting their best work done, but planning to delegate is an investment in your people, your company’s culture, and in your business.
- Contribute both positive and negative feedback so the person you’re giving responsibility to will understand what he or she is doing well and how they need to improve. The exceptional performance will likely continue if it is acknowledged and rewarded.
- Monitoring the work of people will both motivate them and help identify problems areas.
- A delegated task must be accompanied by a delegation of authority–that is, the power and resources to get the job done.
- When assigning a task, consider each person’s demonstrated skill, interest in the task, and current workload. Know his or her record of success on similar assignments–how they work with others, when they operate best, and how well they work under pressure.
- Set clear expectations, make sure the goals are specific, attainable, relevant, and measurable.
- Briefing- take the time to explain to your people why they were chosen for the task and be clear in your expectations of them.
- Give details about what exactly needs doing by when including any flexibility there is.
- Make sure the result you are looking to achieve and how the task fits into the wider picture is understood. What difference will the outcome make?
- Define the decision-making processes. What can the staff member decide, and when should they defer to you? Clarity on authority is essential.
- Find out how they feel about the task. Are they happy to rise to the challenge? Do they have any fears or concerns?
- Say when you need progress reports and agree on how monitoring will occur.
- Delegating effectively is a balancing act. You have a set of requirements, the staff member requires instructions they can understand, support, the authority to proceed and confidence.
Sometimes you may find yourself in a space between giving enough room for people to use their abilities for the best possible outcome, while still staying close enough to ensure that the job is done correctly.
Make or break your success on the management path by the way you delegate. The best managers are surrounded by willing staff who are not only able to get the job done but are also concerned about quality and who are prepared to go the extra mile.
If you are concerned about losing control or giving someone else the credit, then you’re managing from ego and that’s never the best way to lead. Seek joy in watching others achieve a task that was once yours, you are giving a gift of empowerment and that is a beautiful thing. Good delegation not only gets results but also increases the capabilities of the team.
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Sources:
Inc
HuffingtonPost
TheGuardian
ResearchGate
About Lola Govender
My name is Lola Govender. I have been working at L2B for 14 years and am very passionate about our business.