DELEGATION Tips

  There’s a saying;  “To get things done, do it, dump it, or delegate it.”

            One of the most important skills you can master is the art of delegation.

            The ability to delegate is a mark of a leader. It’s the key to management – a good leader is a good delegator and a good facilitator. Good delegators are always in demand.

            The best leaders pick good people to do what needs to be done and have enough sense and restraint to keep from meddling while they do it. (Tell people what you want doing, by when, and leave them to it.)

            Delegated challenging assignments are a good way to develop and select people for advancement.

            By delegating some of your time-consuming activities you will have more time for priority work,  such as talking to staff and to clients.

            If you are unable to delegate you’ve probably got the wrong team about you so start replacing and recruiting.

Five of the best tips on delegating  

 * List your activities and tasks

            What are your essential jobs?

            Which jobs are enjoyable but not absolutely essential?

            Which jobs take too much of your time?

            Which ones could you delegate to make time?

* Choose the best person for the job

            Which member of your team is best qualified for the job? Will they have the time to take on a new task? Can they be relieved of some of their duties by sub-delegating? Will they benefit from the experience?

            Will it enrich their work and stimulate production?

            Select the most suitable person and discuss the situation with them. (Delegate to busy people – the other workers haven’t the time.)

* Promote the task

            First, highlight the challenges. Express your faith in the person’s ability to rise to the challenge of the new task.

            Tell them how the experience will benefit them. Does the task provide an opportunity for the selected person to develop new skills?

* Set clear performance standards

            Discuss guidelines. (If necessary, supply a model against which they can measure their performance.) Give them time to think about the task and ask questions before they agree to it.

* Keep the lines of communication open

            Make sure they know you are always available to help if problems arise they cannot solve. Encourage them to try to solve all problems first.

            Encourage feedback, and negotiate dates for regular progress reports.

            Tell people what you want doing, by when, and leave them to it.

            Tell others about the new situation and the changing responsibilities.

-Geoffrey Moss (mossassociates.co.nz)

“Delegation means delegating responsibility, authority and accountability.”

Source: “The Daily Tonic”. A free download booklet from http://www.mossassociates.co.nz.            “Revitalise Your Business. Guidelines for new leader-managers” and “Secrets for New Managers”, first published by Moss Associates Ltd, New Zealand.  “Business Secrets” and “Secrets for New Managers” published by Cengage Learning Asia and available as e-books from Amazon.com and VitalSource Bookshelf.