To ensure successful delegation, follow these seven steps.
1. Get ready to delegate
Examine the task you intend to delegate by precisely outlining its aims and expectations. Ask yourself the following questions to clarify your objectives:
- What needs to be achieved? What skills and background does my team member require to accomplish it effectively?
- What additional resources can I provide to complement their existing knowledge? Which tools can enhance their efficiency?
- What is the desired outcome?
- How do the stakeholders define success?
- Is this a single task, or can it be divided into multiple assignments?
By answering these questions, you can articulate your goals clearly, create a practical checklist for completion, and support your team towards success.
2. Assign the responsibility
Based on your goal analysis, identify the most suitable individual or team for the task. Consider the following criteria to make your decision:
- Skills: Delegate to someone with the necessary skills for the task, as they are more likely to work autonomously, boosting their confidence and saving you time.
- Interest: Assign the task to the most enthusiastic individual or team, as people tend to work more efficiently when they are invested in the task.
- Availability: Delegate according to the availability of your team members, as those with sufficient time are more likely to meet deadlines and may be more open to future delegation.
3. Confirm comprehension
Clearly communicate the objectives and expectations of the task to the assigned employee or team. To ensure they are ready to commence work, consider restating the instructions in an actionable manner.
4. Support achievement with SMART objectives
Eliminate all uncertainty. Establish specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART) goals to monitor your employee's progress. Whether delegating large or small projects, this ensures a clear path to success.
- Specific: Clearly define the success criteria, such as creating a 30-slide presentation on the company's monthly financial performance for the vice president.
- Measurable: Quantify progress to track milestones, such as completing ten slides to manage time effectively and foster a sense of accomplishment.
- Attainable: Ensure your employee has the necessary resources, including information, budget, software, and time, to complete the task by the deadline. Anticipate potential requirements and reassure them of your availability for queries.
- Relevant: Streamline unrelated resources and tasks from the delegated assignment to maximize efficiency.
- Time-bound: Set a clear timeframe and deadline for the task, enabling your employee to schedule their work and manage time efficiently.
5. Foster commitment
Arrange a follow-up meeting with your employee or team to confirm their dedication to the task. Utilize this opportunity to emphasize the project's importance, its potential for skill development, and the excitement surrounding the upcoming work. Pose simple questions to secure your employee's commitment, such as:
- When do you anticipate being halfway through the project? Let's schedule a progress check.
- What aspects of this project are you enthusiastic about?
- Do you believe you can achieve the desired results by the deadline? How do you envision benefiting from this project?
Such inquiries can enhance your employee's engagement and highlight opportunities for professional growth.
6. Ensure responsibility
Maintain leadership accountability by offering adequate support and ensuring your team has the necessary tools for success. Enhance accountability for delegated work by:
- Establishing clear deadlines
- Cultivating an environment where employees feel comfortable seeking clarification
- Setting milestones to improve time management and monitor progress
- Being transparent about the consequences of incomplete work
7. Provide incentives for success
Recognize and reward exemplary performance. By emphasizing development opportunities and guiding employees on improvement, you foster confidence, boost productivity, and demonstrate appreciation. Encourage consistent success with delegated tasks by:
- Offering regular feedback to acknowledge achievements and suggest areas for improvement
- Comparing current results with previous delegated tasks to highlight progress
- Celebrating successful outcomes by providing specific commendations and recognizing individual contributions
And now this: Reverse Delegation
Reverse delegation - also known as employees requesting managers to take back a delegated task - presents an opportunity for project-based training. When approached with a growth mindset, it can be reframed as follows:
- Refresh: Clarify the project definition and confirm understanding using straightforward language.
- Reassign: Pair the employee with one or more colleagues possessing the requisite skills for the project. This additional support enables the team to meet project requirements while the employee gains valuable experience for similar tasks in the future.
- Revise: If feasible, extend the deadline slightly and offer productivity tips for future projects.
- Reward: Upon completion, publicly commend the employee for their extra effort and highlight their growth.