Skills Library

Delegation

• Relies on others to perform tasks as appropriate

• Clearly communicates expectations in a positive manner while ensuring the employee has the understanding, skills, and resources to successfully perform such task

• Observes, follows up periodically, and provides feedback to ensure completion of tasks without micromanaging the employee or process

• Empowers others to complete assignments within parameters

On-The-Job Practice

• Know how to be specific with expectations. Vague directions can yield vague results so it’s important to be as specific as possible with delegating items to other people.

  • Try this: Review the tasks you’ve delegated to others and consider whether those expectations are SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound). Take steps to periodically checkin on the individual to see how the they’re doing and provide feedback and guidance if he or she has run into any obstacles.

• Determine the right things to delegate. Have you ever felt overwhelmed with so much work to do that you don’t know where to start? Delegating effectively has a lot to do with time management. Planning and identifying which tasks are important and urgent will help you determine which items to work on and which to delegate.

  • Try this: Conduct an Eisenhower Box analysis or 4D exercise to determine which items you need to do yourself, delegate to others, delete it from your to-do list or delay it to another day.

• Be okay with 80%. No one will ever be able to do things the exact same way as you. When delegating a task, focus more on what needs to be done rather than how.  People are more motivated when they can determine the ‘how’ for themselves.

  • Try this. If an employee completes an assignment that is not up to your standards but achieves the goal and is at least 80% in line with how you would do it, accept it. To help the individual grow, provide specific feedback and coach them on what needs to be improved to let them learn from the experience.

Resources to Learn More

Articles

• Createdly: The Easy Guide to the Goal Setting Process by Amanda Athuraliya

• Forbes: How to Use the 4 D’s of Effective Time Management by Bryan Collins

• Harvard Business Review: To Be a Great Leader, You Will Have to Learn How to Delegate Well by Jesse Sostrin

• Inc.: 7 Strategies for Delegating Better and Getting More Done by Jayson DeMers

• Inc.: Delegation is an Art. Here Are 9 Simple Ways to Do it Better by Peter Economy

• Meister: A Guide to Delegating Tasks Effectively by Genevieve Conti

• The Muse: 4 Ways to Delegate Up When You’re at the Bottom (No, Really) by Jo Eismont

BOOKS

• FYI For Your Improvement by Michael Lombardo & Robert Eichinger - Chapter 18: Delegation

• FYI For Your Improvement by Michael Lombardo & Robert Eichinger - Chapter 20: Directing Others

• If You Want It Done Right, You Don’t Have To Do It Yourself by Donna Genett

PODCASTS

• Andy Stanley Leadership Podcast: Delegation Dilemma by Andy Stanley (16m 14s)

• Coaching For Leaders: How to Delegate Work Effectively (43m 21s)

• Entre Leadership: The Key to Successful Delegation by Craig Groeschel (42m 15s)

Videos

• YouTube: Two Elements for Effective Delegation: Coaching for Leaders by Marshall Goldsmith (3m 52s)

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