This is a very important skill for anyone wanting to lead well. Delegation means more than just getting work done through other people. It concerns trusting your team and giving them opportunities to grow, while seeking to channel your energies into really worthwhile things. Good delegation saves time, increases productivity, and fosters better working relations among your team members. It is a win-win situation for all concerned.
Let's face it, delegating this is from t'other tough overcomes. Most leaders dither when it comes to delegation for fear they might lose control of the activities, make some mistakes, or may overload their team. Mastering the art of delegation is a game-changer.
For a better understanding of delegation skills, it is best to enroll in administrative affairs offered by the British Academy for Training and Development.
It's a delegation skill to delegate tasks or responsibilities efficiently, have accountability, and obtain results. These are very important skills for leaders, managers, or anyone working in teams. It's a process and not just throwing work at people. It requires some thinking about which tasks are best to transfer, who should do them, and how to support and resource them so that the task can be achieved in an efficient manner.
Before talking about the tips, one should know that delegation matters greatly in its meaning:
You are supposed to multitask here, so you keep your primary targets within your scope while the other person works on the other less critical tasks.
When you delegate tasks to your team members, you allow them the opportunity to develop their skills and take ownership of their roles.
People feel less overwhelmed and overburdened because they share the workload.
It gives a trust-the-boss feeling to the employees, thereby bonding them closer and humanising the team.
Improving delegation skills is a great way to increase productivity and enhance team development, while focusing the leader on high-priority tasks.
Ability to delegate properly is by practicing identification of which activity would be done by someone else. Think of delegation as applying to routine, repetitive tasks that do not require specific expertise application, meaning you can devote more time and energy to strategic responsibilities held within an area of strength. When identifying a number of tasks for delegation, you free yourself not only to focus on work but also to aid your team in developing their skills. This enrichment of one's delegation ability also results in a more productive and balanced environment.
Spend time learning about the skills, strengths, and interests of your team. Better results are guaranteed by putting the right tasks in the hands of the correct person, which raises confidence, among other things.
Communication is as clear as one breathes for issuing instructions that ensure successful delegation. When you assign a task, ensuring that:
The task is well-defined as to its scope, purpose, and deliverables.
The expected deadlines have realistic timeframes established.
have the necessary resources and information available to carry out the task, and
give clear indication on the required end result so that it is not ambiguous as to what needs to be accomplished.
Clearly set expectations will minimize confusion and misunderstandings so that the delegated task may be completed successfully.
Delegation means never letting the team work things out on their own. Provide them with all possible support, resources, and training aspects that they need to get on track. This includes:
Providing tools, software, or information that is necessary for completing the task.
Guiding on what way to go about the task or answering any questions they may have.
Being available for support and not lurking over their shoulder micromanaging them.
When team members normally feel equipped to handle things, they will be more likely to be successful and also feel more confident in their abilities.
Pray to God to give you faith in people. Part of trusting your team is not to micromanage or get back to them every so often as it will make them lose confidence and motivation. As if you are going to give your team autonomy to complete tasks in their own way. Feedback when needed, but only to the results and not to the process. Coach them on becoming resourceful and self-reliant. Empowering them to feel that they are owners gives them a feeling of responsibility and involvement ranging from accountability to commitment.
Trust is key when dealing with your team, but tracking progress is an essential skill. You can regularly check in with people to see if they are on course in their task and catch problems early:
Avoid micromanaging, focus on the outcome, not how everything happens to come about. It must have some checkpoints to do progress. Allow that mistakes at times can be learning opportunities.
Ensures sufficient coverage of tasks, being completed in time without overwhelming the assigner.
Give feedback, both positive and constructive, for the benefit of the team's development and growth for future tasks.
The improvement of delegation skills makes a dynamic person empower his/her team, and brings about a much more productive and collaborative atmosphere at the workplace.
Delegation is a powerful skill that has been perfected to boost productivity, people development, and the overall efficiency of work. When you see the importance of delegation, state your expectations clearly, and then empower the team; you would create a more balanced, more effective work environment. Thus, a strong mastership in delegation results in successes not only for the leaders but for their teams as well.
The British Academy for Training and Development offers courses to help you Improve Your Delegation Skills.