Delegating is Harder Than You Think (Here Are 3 Tips to Help)

April 17, 2020

Delegation is one of those skills that a lot of people don’t do well. Delegation requires us to release control of a project or a set of tasks and trust that the person taking it over will get it done. That’s hard, and probably why so many of us make excuses like, “It’ll be faster if I just do it myself.”  

But delegation can help teach your team new skills. It can also free you up to work on crucial tasks and maybe find a little work/life balance. Here are some delegation strategies that may help you reap the benefits of this leadership tool. 

10 Steps to Effectively Delegate 

There are business benefits to delegation. It can save time and reduce a stressful workload. It can make your team more efficient and even more profitable. But you have to commit to making delegation a part of your management model, which sometimes isn’t easy. Here are ten steps to successfully delegate to get you started. 

1. Delegate at the start of the project, not at the end, to increase employee engagement in the task. It will also set the task up to succeed and not fail. 
2. Put some thought into selecting the right person. Who will help you get the job done? 
3. Effectively communicate the task, why they’re doing it, and how it will benefit the project or the company. 
4. Give the person the entire task and let them own it.  
5. Set clear goals and expectations but don’t micromanage how they do the task. You might be surprised—the person you delegate to may complete the job more effectively. It could innovate your workflows and maybe even improve a process. 
6. Make sure the person has the authority they need to complete the task. Open yourself to hearing their feedback on how the task or project could be improved. 
7. Offer support as you monitor the person’s progress. Again, nurture but try not to micromanage. Keep the communication lines open. 
8. If you’re not satisfied with the progress, try not to step in right away. Keep working with the employee regularly at various points over the lifecycle of the project. Give advice and encouragement. 
9. At the end of the task, talk with the employee to get their feedback on how it went. Work together on ways to improve. 
10. If the project or task exceeded your expectations, consider publicly recognizing the employee to the rest of your team. 

Delegation is hard, but if you follow these steps, it will get much easier over time. Sometimes it may seem that you don’t have time to delegate. The truth is that at first, it will take more time to practice these skills. But you’ll figure out which employees are best at handling the tasks you dole out, so later on, the time you spend will improve. 

Seeking Professional Workers Who You Can Trust?

Consider practicing your delegation skills by supplementing your hiring efforts with the experienced team at The Custom Group. We can help you succeed.