New Manager Training course newsletter – How great can you Delegate -1

Posted on September 29, 2011 in people management skills

If you are on your way to becoming a new manager or would like to learn the fundamentals of how to become a better manager then this will be the ideal course for you. This course will focus on the essential requirements needed to execute managing for the first time if you are a newly qualified manager and will also allow you to gain knowledge of the skills needed for leading a new team effectively if you are a newly promoted manager.

Total Success is well renowned for our management training courses as we cater to all levels of management. We are able to design courses for specific needs, whether it be improving management skills or providing management refresher training.

How great can you Delegate -1

It is recognised that the best managers are the ones who can delegate. The modern manager, with ever increasing work loads and responsibilities, must use the delegation of responsibility to encourage career growth amongst his/her staff.

The results in terms of job satisfaction and morale have to be seen to be believed.

It is important for managers to realise that as we progress we must make the way ahead for our employees as meaningful as possible. Most managers have the belief that “to get a job done well, you have to do it yourself”, but this is a very short term view and we must always look to the long term.

A good indication as to whether you need to delegate is the height and age of your in-tray contents. Are piles of work continually being brought home in the evenings and the weekends? Are you constantly putting out fires?

Have a close look at the following checklist and ask yourself if you suffer from any of the following:

· You can’t take time off, even when you are really sick because there is no one around who can cover for you.

· You are never able to take all of the holidays due to you.

· You are unable to set aside at least 30 minutes of planning time at the end of each day.

· You frequently have to help workers finish their tasks and projects.

· Your subordinates lack any form of initiative. They feel they must ask permission for everything before making a move.

· Getting information from team members is like pulling teeth.

· If you left the company, they would have to recruit to replace you.

DELEGATION CAPABILITIES

The following quiz can be helpful in assessing your delegation abilities in your practice.

This test is designed to help you assess your abilities as a delegator. Answer the questions “yes” or “no” and be candid with yourself.

Yes No

Do I freely delegate tasks that I like to do or feel comfortable with?
Do I avoid getting bogged down in administrative work?
Do I resist taking work home regularly?
Do I manage so that I feel that I am not on a constant “treadmill”?
Do I prevent letting my staff delegate to me?
Do I avoid the urge to redo work I have delegated?
Is it unimportant to convey the image that I am a hard, tireless worker?
Have I ever analysed my job so that I really know how my time is spent?
Do I really know how I should be spending my time?
Am I actually spending my time as a manager should be?
Do I recognise that delegating involves uncertainty, even ambiguity?
When I delegate, do I specify how much authority is to be assumed?
Do I allow a certain amount of error in my staff as the price I pay for delegation?
Does my staff feel free to act within their delegated authority?
Do I see and use my staff as a team to get the job done?
Do I use delegation as a tool to motivate my staff?
Do I see delegation as a means of helping my staff grow, develop, and achieve?
Do I use delegation as a tool to force innovation on the staff for different ideas?
Do I have adequate staff reporting to me so that I am not over-supervising?
Do I use delegated authority to spot problems before they develop?

Scoring-To assess your delegation abilities, give yourself 1 point for every “yes” response.

Above 16: You are a good delegator and others probably enjoy working for you.
14-16: You are doing an adequate job of delegating.
12-13: Your delegation capability is only fair.
Under 12: Your delegation abilities (or lack thereof) are probably a problem reflected in your staff.

DELEGATION GROUND RULES

Identify the task

Be result oriented rather than activity oriented.
Be clear, measurable and realistic.

Decide what should be delegated

Pick only those tasks which;

help you to make better use of your time
develop members of your team
help you to motivate people in your team

Identify the right person

Identify the skills and knowledge needed to successfully complete a job, and match them with the skills and knowledge in your team. Rate them in their order of importance. Try to break the task down to key areas.

Explain why you are delegating it to them

If this is the first discussion, explain background, why that person, the reason for the task, and the purpose of the discussion. Review both skills and knowledge and identify any gaps. Show confidence in them – praise and not flattery.

Specify the expected outcomes

Consider the key activities and identify the checkpoints. To go with any significant variations.

Establish review meetings and a target completion date

Encourage them to identify when you should meet to review progress (this is a key point).

Discuss how they may go about it

If you are delegating authority, setting limits will enable them to know how far they are able to go. Ensure that team members and other supervisors/managers know what is happening, especially if they are to be involved or affected by the task.

Identify the resources they will need

Make their responsibility clear and/or help them to clarify it. Establish the budget they will need to complete the task and also the correct reporting procedure if budget is exceeded.

Decide how and when you are going to monitor progress

Control without interference. We define control as the monitoring of performance of a delegated task so that the expected results are achieved. Trust is a vital part of the delegation process so it is crucial that your controls are established early so that you allow the other person to ‘get on with it’.
Controls need to:

identify what should happen
monitor what is actually happening
identify any significant variations
prompt timely, corrective action aimed at the cause

The New Manager 2 Day Course

The course consists of a series of six modules which are taught over the two days. After each session delegates will be given work assignments and post-course action plans which reinforce the skills and techniques taught on each session. Each assignment is designed to be reviewed after one month with the delegate’s line manager so the knowledge gained is assessed and analysed.

Each module comes with its own set of notes and follow up exercises and builds into a portfolio of management skills.

Course Dates

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Who will benefit from the course?

This training programme equips delegates with the necessary skills and techniques to manage their team and perform to the best of their abilities.

It allows delegates, in a risk free environment, to understand the essential processes of good communication.
It enables delegates to fully understand the key processes of effective delegation and motivation.
It gives the tools necessary to be able to take responsibility in a number of situations, ranging from simple to very complex.
This allows delegates to see the benefits of informed decision making and taking action versus procrastination and indecision.