What Effective Delegation Should Look Like

More than just offloading tasks, effective delegation can serve as a tool to increase efficiency while building more capable teams. In this article, we’ll explore the key elements of effective delegation and its benefits. We will also look at some misconceptions about delegation and what you, as a leader, should not do when delegating.

 You’re probably aware that delegation can be an effective way to distribute workload and help shape a more efficient way of working for individuals and teams. For some, however, delegation is just corporate speaking for offloading work to someone else. If that is your perception of delegation, chances are the delegator isn’t doing it right. 

Effective delegation can be a strategic tool that enables managers and executives to increase efficiency and focus on higher-level responsibilities. However, the benefits are not confined to the delegator. Done correctly, delegation helps develop talent, empower team members, and drive collaboration.

Benefits of effective delegation

When an individual delegates, he or she transfers responsibility and authority for a specific task or decision to another. While the person delegating the task remains accountable for the final result, they empower others to execute specific duties, make decisions or take action. This not only lightens the manager’s or executive’s workload but also leverages the skills and potential of other team members. Here are some of the benefits of delegating.

Enhanced productivity and efficiency

Generally, the higher an individual is in the organisational hierarchy, the more they are responsible for driving the company’s vision, strategy, and growth. By delegating operational or less critical tasks, executives can dedicate more time to high-level decision-making and long-term planning. They can reduce time spent on day-to-day activities and focus on strategic goals.

Development of team members’ skills

Delegation provides opportunities for team members to enhance their skills or acquire new ones. It helps them gain valuable experience by broadening their expertise and even preparing them for future leadership roles. It can also foster a culture of continuous learning and collaboration within teams. 

Increased engagement and job satisfaction

When team members feel trusted with important tasks and empowered to make decisions, they are more likely to feel fulfilled about their contributions. This also leads them to take ownership of their work while boosting confidence in their abilities. In turn, these will lead to better morale and engagement. 

Improved organisational efficiency and agility

Delegation spreads responsibilities, enabling faster responses to business challenges. Instead of bottlenecks forming at the executive level, decision-making and execution can happen more fluidly across different levels of the organisation. Additionally, when delegation is done thoughtfully, it ensures that tasks are assigned to those who are best equipped to handle them. This leads to better alignment between individual skills and organisational objectives, improving outcomes.

How to delegate effectively

Now that we’ve established the potential advantages of delegation, let’s look at how to delegate effectively. As you may have guessed, there is much more to it than telling a team member to “handle the project and give me a report by Monday”.

Identify the right tasks to delegate

Not every task is suitable for delegation. Critical responsibilities that involve strategic decision-making, sensitive company information, and performance assessments should remain with the executive. Identify tasks that do not require high-level input or managerial oversight to delegate. Or, if a task does not require your specific expertise and can be performed by someone else, delegate it.

Also, you may want to start small. Once a team member has successfully managed several delegated tasks, you can gradually increase the level of responsibility, complexity, and authority.

Choose the right people

As a leader, you should have a thorough understanding of your team’s strengths, weaknesses, and areas of expertise. You can then assign tasks that are aligned with your team members’ capabilities and interests. Perhaps there is someone on your team who would appreciate the opportunity to work on a specific task. When a job matches an individual’s skill set, knowledge, and strengths, he or she will be more motivated and tend to perform better.

However, you may want to consider delegating tasks that will stretch your team members’ abilities and provide a bit of a challenge. This will help them grow, cultivate new skills, and aid in their professional development. 

Define expectations and outcomes

Articulate your expectations and clarify the desired outcomes. Set clear, measurable objectives and provide a timeframe. Your team members should understand the goal, level of authority they have, deadline or milestones, quality standards to adhere to, and what resources and support are available. Put the guard rails in place, make sure your team members know what they are, and then let them work within those parameters.

Provide support and resources

Don’t just throw your team members into the deep end and watch them sink or swim. Equip your team with the tools, information, and support they need to succeed. These may even include training, mentorship, or specific equipment. However, don’t mistake providing all the solutions as support and guidance. Instead of giving all the answers, encourage team members to find their own solutions. Empower them with autonomy to make certain decisions.

Maintain clear and open communication

Clear and effective communication ought to be the default in every setting and situation, but it is particularly important when handing off work to others. Besides providing a clear brief at the beginning of the project and ensuring your teammates understand what’s required, an open channel of communication helps minimise errors or misunderstandings along the way.

Schedule regular check-ins to monitor progress and provide updates. Offer constructive feedback or acknowledgment, and ask if they have any concerns or challenges. Your team members should know that they can approach you whenever they are faced with roadblocks or difficulties. They should feel comfortable asking you questions. 

Recognise and reward achievements 

Acknowledge the efforts and successes of team members who take on delegated tasks. This not only builds trust and encourages further responsibility but also reinforces a culture of empowerment and continuous growth. Recognising employees publicly or offering rewards for outstanding performance boosts morale and drives engagement.

Remember to also record and factor in these delegated achievements at the next performance assessment. This conveys the message that you are intentional about developing the capabilities of the team and guiding team members toward bigger roles and responsibilities. 

What not to do when delegating

Before you head off and start slinging tasks to your team members, we have a few “don’ts” to share. Keep these in mind so that the process of delegation is smoother, more effective, and does not give rise to misunderstandings.

Don’t delegate to the same people repeatedly

Yes, it is tempting and easier to assign work to individuals who can deliver and who will “get it” without handholding or guidance. But you risk overloading and overwhelming these high performers, pushing them towards stress, burnout, or resentment. Additionally, this may be viewed as favouritism, and other team members who are overlooked or underutilised will feel dissatisfied and suffer low morale.    

Don’t micromanage

Be proactive about providing guidance but stop looking over the shoulders of your teammates as they work. You will have to rein in your perfectionist tendencies and accept that when you delegate, you will experience a little loss of control. Yes, there is the possibility of mistakes or deviations from your expectations, but if you had correctly selected, briefed, and empowered them, then you have to trust your team members. Stop trying to manage every little detail; instead, focus on the outcome. Your team members might take a different route or even take more time, but let them have their learning curve. If mistakes occur, use them as opportunities for growth and learning.

Don’t dump work 

As mentioned earlier, delegation should not be used as an excuse to get rid of tasks or work by pushing them to others. You don’t want team members to get the impression that you’re lazy or avoiding work. Instead, approach delegation as a structured way to increase the efficiency of the whole team and as part of the training and development process of team members. 

Effective Delegation benefits your team, not just yourself

Remember, effective delegation is not about giving away work or making more time for yourself. Done thoughtfully, delegation doesn’t just benefit the manager or delegator. It can empower teams, and increase productivity and efficiency while fostering engagement and building more capable team members.

If you are in a position to delegate, we can help you be a better leader. Whether that means understanding yourself better, improving your people skills and emotional quotient, or identifying potential in others, we have the tools and expertise to aid you. 

Get in touch with us.