The owner or manager of any business has to solve a complex of multifaceted tasks. We reach a point where our coping abilities are overwhelmed. To solve some of the problems, it is necessary to divert attention from other issues. Unsolved tasks grow like a snowball. The manager breaks down. As a result, it harms the business and may cause failures. Delegating helps to avoid such situations and increases work efficiency.
Let’s consider how to build a delegation process that brings benefits to the business.
What is delegating?
Delegating is the process of tasks transferring from a supervisor to a subordinate. It deviates from typical staff duty allocation. Employees receive functions based on their position during distribution. Also, employers can assign certain assignments to leased staff. The main difference is that delegation relates to the functions and competencies of the manager.
An example can be preparing for a meeting with potential partners or investors. To attract them to the project, it is necessary to prepare a high-quality presentation. Its development is generally the task of the manager. However, it is not necessary to create it independently. It is more effective if the general director creates the presentation’s concept. Then, one entrusts an assistant with data collection and design. This is delegation. It frees the CEO’s time to prepare for quality speech and negotiations.
The main objectives of delegation:
Time effectiveness
Delegating frees up time and resources for management to solve priority business tasks.
Increasing the level of personnel qualifications
By receiving new, more responsible tasks, the workers learn new things.
Assessment of the professional qualities of the workforce members
By delegating to an employee, the manager can check how well one copes with complex issues. This helps in making personnel decisions.
Improving the psychological atmosphere in the team
Employees better understand management’s motives and requirements. They take more responsibility for their duties. Achieving these goals increases the effectiveness of the supervisor’s and staff’s work.
When delegating is appropriate
Not all functions of a manager should be delegated to subordinates. In some cases, it can harm the business.
Some tasks benefit from partial or full delegation. They include:
- Petty labor wastes time and distracts from more important work. This includes booking business trip tickets and hotels, registering for events, and outsourcing to engage employees.
- Preparatory work, for example, competitor analysis, project info gathering, and creating a database of potential customers.
- Functions that can be easily taught to the team members to relieve the manager. For example, entering invoices into the accounting program’s database, and preparing requests to government bodies.
- Assignments of narrow specialization, which the supervisor can’t solve. An example can be the administration of a company website or corporate pages on social networks.
- One-time tasks that must be done but are less important than other functions. For example, organizing staff training, simple client interactions, and representing the company during the director’s business trip.
You cannot delegate functions directly affecting key business issues, strategic planning, and high-risk projects. In small and medium-sized companies, it may be unwise to delegate hiring, firing, and motivational events. It is also impossible to delegate to a subordinate to replace a top manager in negotiations planned at the level of directors or business owners. This lowers the status of the event and can be seen as disrespectful to the other party.
Principles of Effective Delegation
Let’s consider the key principles of authority delegation, which benefit the business.
Sole proprietorship and hierarchy
Only the direct supervisor can delegate tasks to the subordinate. CEO cannot transfer functions to an ordinary worker, only to one’s deputy. Duties can be transferred from top management to line managers, and so forth.
Limitation
The manager delegates the functions only to one’s direct subordinates.
Compliance with regulations
A task cannot be delegated if it violates an employee’s rights or job description.
Responsibility
This rule of delegation assumes that the manager is responsible for its execution. It happens even if a task is assigned to a subordinate.
Support
The employee can turn to the manager for advice or support on the performance of the delegated task.
Adherence to the principles of delegation allows you to increase business efficiency by 30-40%.
How not to worry and not to interfere while delegating
Many executives struggle to delegate. They are anxious about the tasks. They worry that the team members will not be able to cope with the work, will do it poorly, and will violate the deadlines. The manager begins to constantly intervene in the delegated functions. This creates a nervous atmosphere and uncertainty. As a result, the quality of work suffers.
In order not to worry about the execution of work, it is recommended to follow the following rules of delegation:
- Delegate on time. The performer must have a reserve of time for normal work planning.
- Delegate work only to workers who have the appropriate qualifications to handle new functions.
- Give clear, clearly defined tasks with formulations that do not allow double interpretations.
- If the project is quite complex, set intermediate deadlines. This allows the work to be done efficiently and on time.
- Get yourself some extra time. For example, if the work needs to be done in 5 days, give the employee a deadline of 3 days. Thus, you leave room for maneuver if the performer does not cope with the task.
In addition, it is important to always remain open to contact with the executor so that one can consult on the performance of the work.
Advantages of delegating
The main advantage of delegation for the manager is relieving oneself of routine actions, and entrusting them to executors. Thanks to this, the manager frees up time for the main work. Instead, one can create a business development strategy, interact with partners, and monitor and analyze reports. In addition, delegation helps prevent deadlines for complex tasks from being missed.
For workers, delegation becomes an additional opportunity for professional and career growth. The employee receives tasks “from the world” of the manager, which go beyond the scope of one’s daily duties. This allows you to master new business areas, and learn to perform more complex functions. If an employee does well in the delegated job, the supervisor notices it, which increases the chances of promotion. Also, delegation helps the staff understand management’s roles and motives. This improves team interaction.
The advantages of delegation have quite tangible outlines. A 2015 Gallup study found that firms with skilled delegators in top management earn 33% more revenue, on average, than those without.
