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What Is Delegation And Why Is It Important?
According to Harvard Business School Online, delegation is the transfer of power and accountability for certain duties, choices, or actions from one person (often a leader or management) to another. Although that is generally the definition of the phrase that most people have in mind, some people define it more specifically.
Delegation does not appear the same in every circumstance. Many factors influence what to delegate, when to delegate, to whom, and how the leader-subordinate relationship will evolve throughout the course of the project.
Maximizing personal productivity and demonstrating to your team that you have confidence in them by delegating critical work are the two key benefits of delegation. By delegating well, you may work as a team to accomplish more than you could on your own. The total is stronger than the individual.
When Should You Delegate?
It’s critical to understand when to begin delegating work before learning the specifics of how to do so. The following are some indicators that it’s time to start assigning some of your responsibilities and projects to others:
● Simply put, you don’t have enough time to finish all that’s been put in front of you.
● The task would be best handled by another employee of the company.
● Helping a teammate achieve more expertise in a certain area is something you’d like to do.
● You want to rearrange your schedule because new, more important priorities need to be addressed.
3 Easy Steps for Effective Delegation
1. Prepare – Making the process work is the responsibility of the delegator, not the employee. Before even discussing a project or job with an employee, the manager should fully comprehend and explain the project’s goals, expectations, and final results. The manager must also understand where and when there is potential for creativity.
Make a list of your high-level objectives for the coming month or quarter. Then, break down those larger goals into smaller segments, stating the daily and weekly chores required to reach the larger goals. It’s simpler to decide what may and should be delegated once you have a thorough running inventory of all your tasks and responsibilities.
2. Assign Tasks and Confirm Understanding –To ensure that the employee comprehends the information, have him or her repeat it back to you. You’ll inevitably discover gaps that need to be filled. Alternatively, you may need to adjust your teaching method for a certain team member. This process takes time, but it ensures that the project will be completed correctly.
Progress reviews are often avoided by managers who don’t want to appear to be micromanaging. However, checkups offer a time for both parties to inspect project clarifications and ask questions before things goes south. Scheduling meetings initially regularly, then less frequently can be more productive and can promote agility and effectivity.
3. Track Progress and Show Appreciation – After assigning your team members their tasks, it’s very important that their progress is recognized. You can ask them if there are any resources they might need to further improve their projects or you can help and support them with roadblocks.
Routine Reporting
Show your appreciation by giving them rewards or incentives. This can either be done by sending out an email to everyone in your organization, organizing a team event, or simply congratulating the person. Employees feel more valued when their efforts are recognized therefore, they become inspired and more enthusiastic to work.
Conclusion
By delegating well in the office, you will free up your time as a manager to focus on more essential projects and strategic responsibilities. You will also help grow and develop other members of your team.
Proper delegation can not only motivate people, but also make them feel included, contribute to their professional development, and utilize the skills of your team. When employees are given the opportunity to test their talents at work, their loyalty and productivity are more likely to improve, rather than decrease.