Every business needs managers and leaders who can delegate effectively. It is imperative to retain internal talent, propel business growth and maintain your company’s culture.Every business needs managers and leaders who can delegate effectively. It is imperative to retain internal talent, propel business growth and maintain your companies culture.
Delegating is an art and is not easy to master. There is a tendency, especially amongst newer managers, to keep hold of tasks refraining from delegating them out to their team. Usually down to the worry that the task will not be done properly and that you as the manager are ultimately accountable and responsible for the results.
So, we wanted to give you some simple tips that will make delegating much easier. Like everything, it ultimately comes down to practice. So, use these 6 tips to get you on your way to becoming a pro at delegating.
Tip 1. Equip your team
A well-equipped team is in the best place to be able to successfully complete the task you delegate to them. If they are lacking in skills or motivation to complete the task, then you are setting them up to fail. As their leader it is your responsibility to equip your team with all the information and tools necessary for them succeed at that task.
When we say equipped, you may notice that it wasn’t just skills we mentioned. It is vital that your team care about taking on the task you are giving them, that they care and are motivated enough to do a good job.
Tip 2. Communicate effectively
You’ve equipped your team with experience, skills and the motivation to tackle the task you are about to give them. Now, you need to make sure that you communicate your expectations and requirements for the task effectively. If information is withheld this will only serve to make the task harder, setting them up for failure before they’ve even started.
The key here is that everyone is different. Some people will want a lengthy, detailed list, possibly written down, which they can keep checking as they work. Whereas, others may work best with bullet points and headline info which they can run with. In the latter situation it is important that you do communicate your definite requirements for the task, so nothing gets lost in translation.
Tip 3. Keep your business vision and values in sight
Delegating tasks allows you to keep a top-level view on things, so you can oversee the whole team. But remember, it is vital that you do not lose sight of the overall business vision and values. Your job as the leader is to make sure that everyone keeps this in their sights and doesn’t lose track on the way.
Tip 4. Develop the ability to let go, but not lose control
Being able to let go of tasks is not always easy. You want the task to be done properly, but don’t have time to do everything. As a leader you need to let go of some things and delegate them to your team. Deciding what to delegate though is a challenge, and it shouldn’t just be the things that you don’t like doing. Considering how important the tasks are to the business can help you to decide which bits to delegate and which to keep hold of.
The art with delegating is knowing how much to monitor while the task is being done. This will come down to the individual person that you have delegated to and how much support they will need to do a good job, without micromanaging them. There needs to be trust there between you and them and the support available if needed.
Tip 5. Trust the people that you’re delegating to
Trust is something that is built and doesn’t just happen, but for it to be built the opportunity needs to be there. The more you delegate your team and they do a good job of those tasks the more your trust in them will build. Although it may seem scary to let go of some things at first, you need to allow that trust to build.
Tip 6. Learn from mistakes
Obviously, you don’t want mistakes to happen or for things to be done incorrectly, but one of the best ways to learn is from mistakes. Analyse what went wrong, and then do what you can to solve any issues that arose. As we have already mentioned though, it is important that you have communicated your expectations and requirements for the task well to give them every chance of doing the task right for you first time around.
Delegating is something that you develop as a skill over time and the more you do it. It comes naturally to some, but others will have to work at it to truly feel comfortable with it. The key things to remember are to communicate your requirements and expectations clearly, and make sure that the person has understood what is being asked of them. Poor communication is one of the biggest reasons that delegating goes wrong. Remember these 6 tips, put them into practice and you’ll be on your way to delegating success.
Share :
