Four ways to effectively delegate
Part of being a great leader is learning how to delegate effectively. When leaders spend too much time on smaller projects, it distracts from the bigger picture. Empowering is a great way to offset the pressure and use that time for more valuable tasks.
Admitting your limitations, identifying the best person for the job, setting clear responsibilities, and providing resources are all areas that lead to effective delegating. These are the primary arguments for delegating in an organization.
- You need to admit that you have limitations.
As a leader, it is impossible to be the point person for every action that must be completed. As much as leaders want to be involved, they must be willing to take a step back while letting their employees help with tasks. Delegating gives leaders more time to perform critical functions within their organization.
- Choosing the right person for the job is one of the most crucial steps.
The best way to ease the hesitation of turning over tasks within the workplace is to ensure you have chosen the right person for the job. Identifying an employee’s strengths and weaknesses will help a leader make this decision.
Every function within a company is different. Sitting down with the team and developing a strategic plan can help with this process. Encouraging all employees to use their strengths can help leaders build their employees’ confidence.
- Clarify the task responsibilities.
The expected outcomes need to be made clear. Once these responsibilities are established, an employer won’t have to tell the employees exactly how to perform their assigned job. All employees need to meet their deadlines for this model to work. When a task is done well, it sets the employee up for success. The more successful employees are as they complete their jobs, the more it will benefit the team.
- Make resources available to your team.
An employee must be given the tools required to perform their tasks. This is a responsibility that falls to leadership.
These tools include comprehension of what it is being asked of them. Resources need to be made available when an employee is assigned the job. This process may take longer in the short-term, but it will benefit subordinates and leadership in the long-run.
The Bottom Line in Delegating
Delegating provides a team with additional flexibility. While I was in the Army, we used delegation to build future leaders. You were assigned a specific responsibility. This helped the soldiers gain confidence while teaching them how to overcome obstacles.
It is common for a leader to want to micromanage. Entrusting employees will allow a leader to focus on more pressing matters. Choosing the right employee for the clarified task can produce the expected outcome. It is vital to balance the approach while trusting in the process.
Delegation is a sign of a good leader because they are willing to trust and support their team, and this helps the unit to be as effective as possible.
Riley Villalpando is a client services coordinator for Lowcountry Pianist & Company LLC. She is an Army veteran and is pursuing her Master of Science in human resource management.
