How to Delegate Work Effectively

As a successful entrepreneur it is imperative to understand that one of the strongest professional assets is how and what to delegate to your team. Less experienced managers have a much harder time letting go of their responsibilities, still holding onto “if you want things be done the right way, do them yourself” attitude. Successful leadership builds on an effective delegation. Having a master plan in place and viewing the performance of your team from the bird’s eye view are the factors to consider in developing your own delegating style. Once you are able to grasp and utilize this skill effectively you will realize how much and what you are able to accomplish.

1. Define what assignments can be delegated
It is a collaborative process with an imperative need to establish strong mutual understanding. Delegation should not be a one way street, where you dump assignments on individuals and expect them to take off. Especially at first, it is a process of trial and error, until the designated party is able to perform the tasks on their own. Do not get frustrated and quickly give up when things don’t get done the way you would have done them. Keep in mind that with most things, there is more than one way to skin a cat. Give your team multiple opportunities to try again. Also, anticipate that some of the results might come back to you in an unexpected form. Bottom line, think outside the box in order to get you team to learn how to perform independently.
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2. Define authority levels and responsibilities.
Create an open communication, it is the key. Be an effective coach. There is a difference between delegating and ‘dumping’ work on your employees. Train your team, so that they are able to fly on their own with minimum supervision. By way of open communication, your designated individuals will gradually learn to become comfortable with the authority levels that you are expecting them to utilize as an asset, and not as a confinement to their responsibilities.
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3. Establish deadlines, follow ups, identify status reporting.
Providing clear deadlines is one of the most effective aspects of delegating. Also, arrange for follow up meetings, they open the panel for discussions and clarifications. Provide them with multiple opportunities for questions and uncertainties through an open door policy. At the same time, hold them accountable for their assigned work by way of status and performance reporting.
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4. Trust your team, don’t micromanage.
Majority of us have this experience where your boss claims to trust you with a certain task, and then starts to micromanage all the way to the finish line. Remember not to be that boss! Also, give your delegated team a credit they deserve. The worst thing you could do is to take a credit for their hard work and creativity, and not to reward them, at least verbally. More importantly, be sincere in your recognition!

Article written and contributed by Kamilla Kay, PMP. She can be contacted via email at: kamillabk@hotmail.com


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