Delegating tasks can lighten your load, freeing you to focus on larger projects and more fulfilling work. But to ensure success in delegating tasks successfully, an ideal environment must be established as well as support provided to new team members as they transition into their roles.
Start by clearly communicating what and when is needed before leaving them to figure out the how themselves, consulting at key pivot points if needed.
1. Set clear expectations.
Before delegating tasks or responsibilities to team members, it is imperative that we clearly communicate what each task or responsibility involves. This allows them to fully comprehend all aspects of their project including resources, timelines and sensitivities – as well as offering an opportunity for any doubts or queries to surface.
Make it clear which tasks only you can handle, such as performance reviews and employee discipline, as well as ongoing projects such as budgeting or activity reporting. Also think carefully about which projects could be delegated to team members.
Delegating tasks that cater to each team member’s strengths or development opportunities will not only increase their satisfaction and aid them in becoming future leaders but will also enable you to focus on what is most essential while giving your team members the best chance at performing at their optimal best.
2. Give them the freedom to do it their way.
Delegating tasks to your team is more than just about freeing up your own time; it is about empowering employees and helping them discover their inner genius. One effective way of doing this is creating an environment which encourages employees to be daring and take risks.
Managers must determine their level of engagement, as failing to do so could prove dangerous to a team’s wellbeing. Too much involvement risks becoming micromanaging while too little engagement risks them missing key moments where support or feedback would be essential.
Establish a system of regular status checks between manager and employee to make sure the task is being executed as planned.
3. Have faith in them.
Successful delegation has an overall positive effect on team member morale, manager productivity and organizational success. By giving team members an active participation role that draws upon their skills, knowledge and judgement it promotes leadership among decision makers themselves and promotes independence of decision making processes.
As you empower your team members, remember they may experience uncertainty. Be supportive during these moments by providing encouragement and sharing personal experience – this is an excellent way of building trust and creating an atmosphere of psychological safety, giving your members greater confidence in their decisions.
As the saying goes, “whoever is faithful with little will be faithful with much.” Show your trust by delegating more challenging tasks, responsibilities and decisions for them to complete; in time you may be delighted by their progress!
4. Be flexible.
Effective delegation is an indispensable management skill that increases both manager productivity and organizational success. Successful delegation requires managers to delegate both results-driven tasks as well as developmental projects to promote employee growth. Achieving this requires clearly outlining what needs to be accomplished, providing autonomy for team members to complete them on their own without interruption, and following up afterwards to ensure success in delegating tasks to others.
Delegating is never easy, yet essential for business growth. Delegation helps spread workload evenly, allocate resources strategically and allow team members to develop their strengths and skillsets. Although its benefits are numerous and vast, delegation can sometimes become cumbersome and time consuming if it is mismanaged; leaders must find a balance between controlling everything while still empowering their teams.
5. Don’t micromanage.
Delegating tasks to your team members is an excellent way of instilling trust and encouraging them to take ownership for their work, yet micromanaging will only cause more problems than it solves.
Instead, be proactive in communicating with your team members and creating an outline for any tasks assigned them. This ensures a positive working relationship amongst everyone involved as everyone understands exactly what is expected from them.
Conduct regular reviews of the work that your team members are producing. This can help identify any issues early and provide them with support to enhance their performance, as well as prevent unnecessary interference that could cause discord within your team.
