Delegation / noun : The act or process of delegating or being delegated : prioritizing tasks for delegation., delegated power, ‘send on a commission’
Delegate / verb : To Entrust (a task or responsibility) to another person, typically one who is less senior than oneself : He delegates routine tasks | The power delegated to him must never be misused., To send or authorize (someone) to do something as a representative : Edward was delegated to meet new arrivals.
Delegation: What Leaders Need to Know
“You’re on the spot every day. Ultimately, you are accountable. Your success is measured in terms of the way your employees perform. You have to make sure that the work gets done, costs are controlled, employees work as a team, and upper management is satisfied. Clearly, you have a tough job. Delegation is a powerful tool to ensure that all of this is possible.
Be a supportive coach. Tune into your employees’ talents. Delegate projects based on their strengths and weaknesses.
Redirect those who perform below standards. Correct negative behavior gently for long-term change. Learn the psychology of motivating people through the art of delegation. Finding the right combination of responsibilities can be a great motivator for success.
Bring out the best in your team members. Help them grow so they’ll contribute more and feel better about themselves. You’ll all enjoy your workplace more — and find greater satisfaction in working together.”
“Go Team! Take Your Team to the Next Level” by Ken Blanchard
I would add, these top three things you need to know about delegating:
- Let go. You will not succeed as a manager and leader until you learn to delegate well. Letting go of some of the details will allow you to step up to the next level of performance. Delegating is as much about your own growth as it is about the growth of your team members.
- Be creative. Delegating requires creativity. You have to answer the questions, “What details can I give up? What small projects or tasks can I carve out of my day? How can I break down large projects into smaller milestones that can be delegated to others?”
- Set standards and boundaries. You cannot begin to delegate a task until you have defined the boundaries of decision-making, trained the individual or individuals well, and tested them in the process.
To get great results:
- Move key decisions closer to the front line.
- Create teams that release the power of team members – power that comes from their knowledge, experience, and internal motivation.
- Use the abilities of people in performing tasks that do not make the best use of your experience and skills as a supervisor.
BRH
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