DEFINING DELEGATION
1. Delegation is not task assignment. Task assignment is simply assigning work to an individual within the duties and responsibilities of his/her position. Delegation, on the other hand, involves the manager giving someone the responsibility and authority to do something that is normally part of the manager’s job.
2. Delegation is not “dumping.” You should take special care to make sure that the employee does not think you are trying to “dump” unpleasant assignments on him or her. If delegation is not done properly, employees feel put upon and resent what they perceive as doing the boss’s work.
3. Delegation is not abdication. The manager still has the ultimate accountability for the assignment. That’s why it is important for you to establish appropriate controls and checkpoints to monitor progress.
4. Managers should give delegatees the appropriate authority or power to act along with clear expectations including any boundaries or criteria. The manager, however, should try to avoid prescribing HOW the assignment should be completed.
5. Delegation involves three important concepts and practices: responsibility, authority,
and accountability. When you delegate, you share responsibility and authority with others and
you hold them accountable for their performance. The ultimate accountability, however, still lies
with the manager.
BARRIERS TO DELEGATION
1. The biggest barrier to delegation is you, the manager. When managers are asked why they don’t delegate more, they often give the following excuses:
· “It takes too long to explain.”
· “No one on my staff is capable of doing it.”
· “If you want it done right, you have to do it yourself.”
· “My people are already overworked. I can’t dump anything more on them.”
Take a moment to check the excuses you may have offered as reasons for not delegating.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………
2. Although managers offer the above excuses, the real reasons may be discovered in the following list:
· “I’m comfortable doing the job I’ve been doing for a long time. If I give that up, then I have to concentrate on the responsibilities of my new job which I am not comfortable with.”
· “If someone else can do my job, maybe I won’t be needed anymore.”
· “I’m the boss; I’m supposed to have control over everything.”
· “What if the other person messes up? I’m still accountable.”
Be honest with yourself. What are the REAL reasons you don’t delegate as much as you should?
…………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………
3. Sometimes employees resist or fail to accept responsibility for some of the following reasons:
· They may fear criticism or embarrassment from the boss if they don’t do things exactly as he/she expects.
· They may not have the skills or ability to do the job.
· They may feel that they are being “dumped on,” that is, that they are expected to do the boss’ job.
· They may feel that it’s easier to ask the boss than to decide for themselves.
· They have received no reward or recognition in the past for a job well done.
Study this list? Can you think of others? Then ask yourself if you have in any way contributed to employee resistance.
…………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………
…………………………………………………………………………………………………
WHAT AND TO WHOM TO DELEGATE
The first step in delegating is to identify what should and should not be delegated.
Do delegate:
· All routine or even sporadic clerical duties (filing, counting, sorting, routine reports).
· Making minor decisions.
· Answering routine questions. Make the employee think for himself/herself.
· Minor staffing problems such as scheduling.
· Anything your employees are expected to do when you’re not there.
· Jobs that can develop the employee in other areas for potential promotion.
Don’t delegate:
· An emergency or short-term task where there is not time to explain or train.
· Morale problems.
· Assignments from your boss that he or she expects you to do personally.
· A job no one else in the department is qualified to do.
· Personnel issues such as hiring, firing, or disciplinary matters.
The next step is to select the appropriate delegatee. Think about the delegatee’s personality as well as his/her skills. This is an important consideration when presenting the assignment to the chosen person. Some people may want and need a great deal of detail and explanation; others respond better to a simple statement of expectations and guidelines, then want to be left alone to “get on with it.”
Avoiding pitfalls
1. Reverse or upward delegation. Sometimes employees feel they don’t know how to do what they were delegated or just try to take the easy way out. In either case, you may find them coming back and asking you what to do. Many managers fall into the trap by taking the assignment back unwittingly. To avoid falling victim to the reverse delegation syndrome, make the employee think or problem solve for himself/herself. This is the perfect opportunity to practice coaching skills. Begin by asking the employee various open-ended questions to find out what has already been done and what the person thinks should be the next step. Offer help and support, but don’t take back an assignment that you have delegated to someone else.
2. Dumping. You may think you’re doing a great thing by delegating an assignment to one of your employees and may wonder why the individual isn’t ecstatic over the opportunity. The culprit in this case is most probably poor communication. It’s easy to assume that the employee knows and understands your motivation. Quite often, however, the employee perceives he/she is being “dumped on,” that is, taken advantage of. To prevent this from happening, take special care to explain the benefit to the employee. Remember to point out the WIIFT – ‘What’s In It For Them.’
3. Grabbing the glory. Some managers seem to overlook the importance of giving credit where credit is due, and take credit for the delegatees hard work. Make sure that you give the appropriate recognition and quietly pat yourself on the back for being a great delegator.
