Art of Delegation
When working in a group most of the time, it’s so tempting to get all the work to constantly monitor the progress and ensure its completion. It’s not that you don’t believe other people, you just know that if you have the control, the task will definitely be done. Be a Leader at work
There are a lot of reasons you sometimes don’t divide the responsibilities across your team. There’s the threat of clash of ideas. To train others and keep monitoring them are not practical also. The fear to relinquish the sense of control and possibility of failure exists.
But sharing is fun, and this post aims to help you fight the urge to keep the work to yourself.
Why do you need to delegate?
Project wise, delegation of tasks saves time and effort of everyone. It permits efficient and effective functioning. It also allows simultaneous development.
Person wise, it ease your loads. It is a chance for you to grow also as you learn to let go. It let you focus on things you should focused on. Having a lot of things to do means having shorter period of time for each of them.
Social wise, it develops your interpersonal relationships as you also aim for the improvement of your teammates. To be honest, delegation is not really for you. It’s for your team to have an avenue for growth and maturity. To share also the credits to them at the end means a lot. Celebrating the success of your project is happier if you’re with your group.
What does it takes to delegate?
Delegation is not a simple task. It requires a lot of commitment from your side. Commitment to follow whatever you decide at the end. It’s not a simple task, as we commonly think. Simply pointing out and allot responsibilities, are not proper practices and can have costly consequences.
It asks a lot of trust and confidence to do it. At the same time, it can result to a lot of worries and doubts. Technically, you have to jump to something you’re unsure of.
Furthermore, it demands your team’s dedication and willingness to the division of labor. They also need to promise full commitment here. You need to build their confidence especially if you’ll assign a complex job to them.
How to Master the Art of Delegation:
1. Choose your team properly
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You must find the right people who will work with you. Bring in the people you can see the potential. Choose diligently those you can comfortably work with. Look for what you specifically need, and seek those you have the same profession goals.
Having the right people for your team is crucial in determining the success of your delegation. Know your preferred co-workers so that you can be worry-free once tasks are divided. Don’t be afraid also to entertain newbies if they have the skills.
2. Know your team
Since you will work with them to achieve certain objectives, you need to know your teammates personally in some level. It makes working with one another smoother and easier. Also, knowing your team can help you properly delegate tasks. You’ll be able to determine who does what.
It is also helps in continuously building the trust and confidence in workplace as you root the friendliness among each other.
3. Define specific task and team’s goal
Tasks to be designated should be defined from the start together with the objectives of the project. Pick things that others can do while leave super sensitive matters and specialized duties to you or to the experts.
When you define job description, you need to be as specific as possible. You need to determine also what corresponding output you want.
Then align everything towards your expected outcome in the end. Define also the goals you want your team to achieve. Be as concise as you can be.
4. Set a preliminary meeting
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To formalize everything, you need to meet your team as one. As the leader, your team should know who you are. I know it’s not a standard practice anymore especially in a big scale like multinational companies. Still, I think this is still relevant if a team meeting can be executed.
During the meeting you should spell out each duties and responsibilities, and the team goals. Give detailed instructions. Provide a space also for clarifications and questions.
5. Keep an open environment
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Being visible, in relation to Step 4, helps fostering openness in the workplace. You set the jobs, but let your teammates suggest innovation to what they do, they perform the job anyway.
Let the flow of feedback between you and your teammates. They are part of the process; hence, they can observe what can be improved in your system.
6. Empower your group
Your teammates also need motivation to continue. Insecurities can sometimes bother them that can hindrance their performances. This is where your unwavering trust should be displayed. How can your teammates work with confidence and self-esteem if you, the leader, don’t show any trust right?
Encourage your team from time to time. Step 2 is also essential when everyone is stressed out. You can be there to provide support when they are anxious.
7. Let them decide on their own
Democratize decision-making. Let your teammates have the authority appropriate for their assignments. What’s the point of delegation if every action they have to do needs your approval? It wastes time and energy.
Encourage accountability with your teammates. As they get power in decision-making, they also must learn to be liable for their actions and their consequences.
This is hard and risky at first, but as you proceed, you’ll see how efficient this step is in making your work done.
8. Facilitate the progress
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Ask for regular reports and updates about their progress. Know where your teammates at the moment. The kind of monitoring depends on each person. Provide devoted supervision for those who are new, and you can be loose with those experienced members.
You can also offer mentorship along the way so that you cultivate an asset in the near future. I personally treasure mentorship I got from my seniors as it not only forms me, but also builds my self-esteem and confidence.
9. Evaluate
After you see where currently your team is, you need to evaluate the reports you just discovered. You can also do this with the whole group, as you observe Step 5. See if the deadlines or milestones are met. Are the output produced for that span of time? Is your existing process still appropriate or do you have to restructure?
10. Trust and Accept
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As Elsa keeps on singing, “Let it go!” You can’t retreat once you give others their works. Let go of your ego and pride. Let go of your fears. Let go of your doubts.
Instead, believe on your judgment and how you delegate the tasks. I know it is hard to go out of your comfort zone, but delegation of tasks ensures productivity. Failures and imperfections can’t be prevented, and you need to acknowledge that. Admit the fact that you can’t do everything. You must share the burden and let others help you.
