The Power of DELEGATION

Is it just me? Or, does it seem like more and more leaders find themselves performing standard tasks that could easily be delegated within their team?

I ask this question, because often in my Leadership & Executive Coaching practice – one of the major challenges most leaders struggle with is “work/life balance†and “time management.â€Â  And many times, once we get to the root cause it often leads back to their inability to delegate challenging  and sometimes even nominal tasks to their team. 

BAD HABITS

Now typically, leaders who rarely delegate do everything themselves – from the most complex to the most menial tasks. And, even if it’s not true, they are perceived as NOT TRUSTING in the skill and confidence of their team. 

Quite frankly, they are unwilling to take risks by delegating challenging task to subordinates, even if it will help them be more effective.  Because, they often feel that they can get the job done faster by doing it themselves. However, when you rarely delegate, you actually stifle the professional growth and development of your team. And you end up working HARDER, not SMARTER.

BENEFITS

So, here are three great benefits of delegating:

1. It improves team productivity and efficiency by saving you invaluable time – in the long run;
2. Your team feels valued, because they feel you trust them, and
3. Most importantly, it reduces YOUR level of stress and burnout — allowing you more time to create Greater Work/Life Balance.

INTERESTING STATISTICS

Did you know… Only 30% of managers believe they can delegate well. And only a third of them are considered good delegators by their team. In fact, delegation is a vital management tool that not enough people do well.

5-LEVELS OF DELEGATION

So, for those of us who often struggle with delegation, but realize it’s a necessary, invaluable action step in freeing ourselves of overwork and creating more work/life balance – here are the 5-levels of business delegation.

• LEVEL ONE – is to have the person do exactly what you ask. This works best with simple tasks that require little or no training. An example might be having a team member run a simple errand that you can’t find time to do.
• LEVEL TWO – is to have the person GATHER INFORMATION. This works best when you just need someone to do a little research to help you make a decision. An example might be having them research price quotes, vendors, or other needed information for you.
• LEVEL THREE – is to have the person MAKE A RECOMMENDATION. This means you TRUST their judgment enough to gain insight and information from them. An example might be that after an employee has demonstrated a specific level of competence, you feel confident in getting their feedback, input, or recommendations before you make a decision.
• LEVEL FOUR – is to have the person actually MAKE A DECISION on your behalf. As you can see at each level of delegation, the level of TRUST that you have in the person increases. An example might be that you give the person the authority to make a hiring decision without your consent, because you feel 100% confident that they will make the best decision in the interest of the team or organization.
• And, LEVEL FIVE is to have the person not only gather information, make recommendations, and make the decision – but also go ahead and IMPLEMENT whatever decision they think is best and move forward on their own. This is what I consider that highest level of DELEGATION!

At Level 5, the person is 100% empowered to take action on your behalf, because you have developed, trained, and coached them on how to make and implement sound business decisions.

WAYS TO IMPROVE

So, as I begin to close, here are a couple of key points to consider…

• When to Delegate – If you’re delegating a new, challenging, or complex task to an employee, that they’ve never done before – make sure you have TIME to train and assist the person, if needed. And, if you are confident and trust that the person can successfully accomplished the assigned task, don’t micro-manage.  Empower them 100% to make the decision on how to complete and implement it.
• TO WHOM – If the concept of delegating is new to you – start with the people who are part of your team; People who have the COMMITMENT and WILLINGNESS to accomplish it; And, people who are looking to enhance their career opportunities within the company.
• How to Delegate – And, when you’re about to delegate a task, choose the appropriate person for the task –taking into consideration their skill and willingness to complete the task. Set clear objectives, CLARIFYING your expectations and timeline for completion. Allow them to do the work, don’t micromanage – providing training as needed.

And, if you’re confident in their ability — delegate the RESULT, not the process. Don’t under-estimate their ability to find a more effective, efficient way to get the job done.  Also, establish checkpoints to monitor their progress.

And if they’re not meeting your expectations, use this as an opportunity for further training. Most of all, if they exceed your expectations, be certain to recognize their accomplishments.

WRAP-UP/RECAP

So, there you have it! We’ve covered the root cause — as to why many leaders fail to delegate. Benefits of delegation, as well as bad examples. We outlined the five levels of delegation, pointing out that it’s ok to start with “baby stepsâ€. And last, we covered simple ways to improve. 

And remember, if you’re struggling with time management, accountability issues, and work/life balance – the root cause may very well be that you are not taking advantage of the many opportunities to delegate and further develop your team.

Thanks so much for watching and have a wonderful day!