John Hunt, late author and professor, said that only 30% of managers believe they delegate well. Moreover, just a third are viewed as good delegators by their employees.
When you consider how important it is for a leader to be able to delegate effectively, these numbers are alarmingly low.
Delegation matters because it helps leaders save time while increasing employee performance and growth. Moreover, the leaders themselves are able to grow as they use their newfound time to take on more responsibilities and gain new experiences
If you haven’t yet learned to delegate well, now is the time. Here are the most important things to remember:
1️⃣ Share context and background: When delegating a task, don’t just assign it without explanation. Instead, take time to discuss the task at hand and why that employee is the person to help you. When doing so, answer the following: Why did you choose them? How will it help them grow? Is it an opportunity to increase their responsibilities or foster new skills? After the discussion, they should also have a firm grasp of the purpose of the task – why is it being done? Which goals does it serve?
2️⃣ Provide resources and key contacts: It’s your responsibility to ensure that the person you’ve chosen to complete a task is armed with all the necessary tools, skills, and contacts. If they aren’t, you’ve set them up for failure. Consider employing the “I do, we do, you do” method training to make this easier: have them watch you complete a task, do it with them, and then allow them to do it on their own.
3️⃣ Share constraints: Before the employee begins the task, they should be prepared for what comes next. Set aside time to discuss with them the constraints of the project, including time, costs, risks, and confidentiality (if applicable). Doing so will help them prepare for the constraints and strategize ways to manage them.
4️⃣ Agree on how you’ll check in and review progress: Before the task has even been started, communicate expectations and deadlines clearly. While you’ll need to check in on the task periodically, don’t micromanage. Instead, come up with milestones and a review schedule. During these reviews, provide appropriate and thorough feedback so that improvement is made going forward.
As a leader, what have you found to be the most useful when delegating to your team? Share below 👇
For more on delegation, check out: https://lnkd.in/dkpHBDCn
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