Career doctor: How can I delegate effectively
Q I was told at a recent appraisal with my boss that I take on too much and don't share tasks out across my team. This is through fear of their not doing a good job and I suppose the fear of just asking them to do something. Have you got any pointers as to how I can delegate more of my work?
A
There are hundreds of books written on delegation but I have found these pointers work best for our clients.
1. To reduce risk, select the tasks to be delegated carefully.
Delegate complete jobs. It is much more satisfying to work on a single task than on many fragments of the task. You should be very careful when delegating tasks that have been passed on to you. The person delegating has already reduced their direct control and may be reluctant to reduce it further.
2. Don't delegate unpleasant tasks only.
In order to bring out the best in your subordinates you should offer them a mix of tasks. Conversely, don't keep all the unpleasant tasks for yourself. It is important not to hold back all the jobs you personally dislike, considering it unfair to give them to others.
3. Select the right people to do the task.
Ask yourself what skills they can bring to bear. Will this task require the acquisition of new skills? What level of support will be required to enable them to do the job? Try to select people who have expressed an interest in tackling the kind of task you are delegating.
4. Ensure you set aside sufficient time to specify delegated tasks and go through them with the relevant members of staff.
Don’t delegate tasks at the last minute; each member of staff has their own responsibilities into which they must fit the delegated work. Work delegated at the last minute may not be done properly, if at all.
5. Explain why the job is done, and what results are expected.
When you delegate a task, explain how it fits into the overall picture of what you are trying to achieve.
John Buckley is an executive coach with Momentum Business Coaching.
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