Delegation – the art of getting more done

As the boss the first thing to do is make sure you’re not the problem!

 

There are two things to check:

• Have you got a clear picture of your organisation and have your people got the same picture. In doing this you need to ensure each of your team has clear roles, responsibilities and accountabilities. As part of their responsibilities they should report on key performance indicators which will describe how their area is performing.
• If you’ve got a task that you haven’t got time to do, is somebody else’s job or heaven preserve us someone else is better equipped to deal with, then you should delegate. In this instance the only thing that can go wrong is that you don’t delegate effectively.

Good guidelines are:

• Work out what you’re really expecting the person you delegate to to do and achieve.
• Ensure they understand the limits of their authority
• Set a timeline for the task and what to do if it is going to be breached
• Give clear explicit instructions - Communicate this clearly to the person you’re going to delegate to
• Check understanding
  

Having ensured you’ve done this and since you’ll have your own management style the following might help you understand the situations you might get into:

• Do as I say
• No delegation
• Wait to be told
• Follow these instructions precisely

If you’re going to adopt this culture be prepared to be involved in everything and expect none or limited initiative from your staff:

• Tell me the situation – I’ll decide
• Delegator retains responsibility for options and decisions

Better than 1. but perhaps better reserved for the important tasks that might impact on performance or strategy:

• Tell me the situation. We’ll work together
• Analysis and decision is a shared process. We’ll do it together

You might use this with a relatively new member of your team fulfilling the role of coach/mentor giving training or advice. To be effective it shouldn’t go on for long:

• Tell me the situation. What help do you need from me in assessing and handling it? We’ll decide
• Some handover of freedom for analysis and decision making, subject to agreement

A step on from 3. again consider how long this approach is going to go on for.

• Give me your analysis of the situation (reasons, options, pros and cons) and recommendation
• Delegator checks the thinking before deciding
  

As with 3. and 4. use this approach as a development tool with members of your team

• Decide and let me know your decision. Wait for my go-ahead before proceeding
  
• Competent delegate decides and implements
  
• Timing kept under control if task impacts on other areas or externally changing factors
• Frustrating if used too often or for too long, keeps people waiting, after investing time and effort

Not bad but be aware of the effect of time as mentioned in 6c.

• Decide and let me know your decision. Go ahead unless I say not
  
• Delegate controls action
  
• Increased responsibility saves time
  

Can be used when seeking responsibility from above or elsewhere/where indecision and bureaucracy restrains e.g. “Here is my analysis and recommendation; I will proceed unless you tell me otherwise by(date)”

This scenario suggests you’re dealing with an experienced member of your team beware of their frustration and enthusiasm.

• Decide, take action. Let me know what you did and what happened
  
• Saves more time
  
• Enables follow up by delegator on effectiveness of the work
  
• Necessary if delegating at a distance, or more “hands-off”
  
• Invites positive feedback from delegator
  

Now we’re getting there. You just need to beware of the temptation to interfere.

• Decide, take action. You need not check back with me
  
• The “outer limit” if responsibility for the activity remains with the delegator
  
• Needs confidence
  
• Quality of task is assessed “after the event” based on overall results (can be weeks or months later)
  
• Feedback and review is important
  

Beware if the task is not part of the team member’s job. Key performance indicators will help in this approach.

• Decide, take action. Manage the situation accordingly. It’s your responsibility
  
• Not used without formal change of job role
  
• Strategic responsibility given for defining changes, projects, tasks, analysis and decisions for managing the area of responsibility
  
• Delegation now part of the job
  
• Used when developing a successor, or as part of an agreed plan to devolve some of your job accountability
  

You’re definitely dealing with experienced member of your team here. Is it their responsibility? You might use this approach to give a team member more responsibility or to free up some of your time for more important things.

As you gather from the above if you’ve got it right then the approach still very much depends on the person you’re delegating to. Having said this if you are aware of all the above and implement effectively you should be prepared to see improved performance in your business.
Another way of looking at it is more will get done.

Written by Graham Dring and Geoff Trapnell