Most of us believe we are
the only ones who can do the job right. While this may be true in the short
run, have you considered the cost over time?
The Cost of not Delegating
There are only 24 hours in
a day. Many business leaders who do not delegate find themselves working far too
many hours, often not very efficiently because they are exhausted and overwhelmed.
They usually do the most urgent tasks, but not necessarily the most important
ones.
These business leaders end
up having no time to reflect, to grow, to lead, to be more creative, or to
communicate with staff and colleagues. They lose the delicate life-balance:
time for family, friends, recreation and relaxation.
The Principles of Effective Delegating
1.
Ensure you delegate to the right people. Choose qualified staff members with the appropriate
knowledge, skills, training, personality and motivation to do the job
effectively. Delegate tasks that will make the best use of people’s skills and
strengths, and then boost their confidence by telling them why you chose them.
2.
Train staff in the skills they don’t yet have. You might tell yourself, “If I have to spend time
training them, I might as well do the job myself.” This is short-term thinking that
will keep you locked in the overworked, overwhelmed stage. In the long run,
delegating will save you time and money.
3.
Tell the delegated staff exactly what needs to be done
and why. If they are experienced, allow them the freedom to
decide how they will approach the job. Be very clear in giving them the expected
timeframe and discuss the expected results. Ambiguity is never a good thing
when you are delegating.
4.
Check in periodically on their progress. Find out if they have any questions throughout the
process. But do not hover over them
or micro-manage! Keeping an appropriate distance shows that you trust them to
succeed. Micro-managing destroys confidence.
5.
When the task is done, give feedback. People won’t improve if you don’t point out the
areas that need work. Remember to always begin with honest praise. Explain to
them what they did right. Always thank them, and if the job is exceptional,
acknowledge them in front of other people.
6.
Expect high quality work, but not perfection. Expectation of perfection raises fears and doubts,
slowing down the work and suppressing creativity.
The Benefits of Delegating:
A.
For the Leader:
1. More time and energy to do important things
2. Time and freedom to grow as a leader
3. More time for life-balance
4. A healthier, happier, more creative life
5. A happier staff and work environment
B.
For your Staff:
1. A chance to do higher-level, more satisfying work
2. A chance to be creative and solve problems
3. A chance to feel trusted by their leader
4. A chance to see clearly how they contribute to the success
of the organization
5. An increased sense of self-worth due to greater responsibility
6. An increased level of communication with their leader
7. A chance to receive praise and to feel valued
8. An increased level of team cohesion and effectiveness
9. They will be more engaged, producing higher quality
work
10. A chance to grow their skills and themselves as a
person, becoming more valuable to the organization
11. A chance to develop play a role in satisfying
customers
12. An overall happier work environment with less employee
turnover
