Taking the Time to Delegate Effectively
Delegating takes time, a precious commodity for us all. I know delegation is what I’m supposed to do, but if I do it myself, I know it’s done correctly, and I don’t have to do it again. The hardest part for me and I bet for you is to be willing to accept that mistakes may occur when delegating.
But a truly effective leader knows that delegation is not just about assigning our people tasks; it’s really about empowering them to make decisions and take ownership. It involves trusting your team and giving them the autonomy to complete their delegated responsibilities.
Delegation works best when three things are provided:
-The individual’s skills, knowledge and passion are matched to the delegated task.
-The leader provides clear communication regarding tasks and expected outcomes.
-The leader establishes a system of accountability and support.
As the leader, it is my job to set my team members up for success whenever possible. The first step toward that is choosing tasks that best suits that member’s abilities and their personal level enjoyment/fulfillment when doing it. Taking the time to study suitable matches ensures that the delegated tasks are more likely to be completed successfully.
As an experienced leader, you know that clear communication is a vital step in setting your team up for success. It takes time to provide a clear understanding of the task, its objectives, and the desired outcomes. Uncertainty can lead to misunderstandings and errors. As leaders, we need to be clear in our thinking and communication of the responsibilities and desired outcomes.
The most successful delegation I have done has been when I took the time to establish ways for my team members to track the steps taken toward completing the task and a way of measuring the success of those steps. Most importantly, I never delegated and forgot it; I was always there to provide necessary support. It goes so much better when I do regular check-ins, give feedback, and provide guidance to ensure that the delegated tasks are progressing as planned.
Yes, effective delegation takes time and will slow you down in the short run, but in the long run it will allow you to move forward into other areas. Delegating allows leaders to focus on their core responsibilities while growing and leveraging the strengths of their team members. As your organization grows, you need to be able to let go of some important tasks and even departments by delegating them to fully trained and capable team members. Effective delegation is essential for leaders to maximize their impact.
Go cultivate greatness by delegating and growing others.
Jeff
