How effective are you at delegating? Which column sounds more like you…?
- I clearly communicate the desired outcome and my expectations about standards of performance
- I am delegating whole pieces of work or an entire job rather than simply tasks and activities
- I clearly define limits of authority that go with the delegated job (For eg: budget constraints, what can and can’t be changed?)
- I have confidence that the person to whom I have delegated will deliver the outcome that has been agreed
- I seek feedback and review progress at appropriate, agreed checkpoints
- People are coming to me with options and suggestions when a problem exists rather than just asking me for the answer
- People are willing to put their hand up and take on further challenges
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- My people are continually checking with me about what I have requested
- The work isn’t being completed and deadlines are being missed
- I am continuing to work longer hours and not confident of a way forward to rectify this (Am I doing too much myself?)
- I am regularly correcting the final work I have delegated
- I am frequently telling people not just what needs to be done, but also how it needs to be done
- I am delegating things that are not appropriate for others to do, eg performance appraisals and difficult conversations
- I am frequently checking on where things are up to – more than we had originally agreed
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If you answer with mostly ‘yes’s on the left side – well done! You have some of the fundamentals in place?
If you answer with mostly ‘yes’ to the statements on the right, these may well be warning signs that something is amiss…
Being an effective delegator is a critical skill set, and one you can develop by paying attention to a simple process.
Want some help?
What follows is firstly, a link to our DiA tips and hints guide on delegation. It provides some practical things you can do right now to improve your delegation capability. It also outlines a simple 5 step delegation process, and has a template you can use when you are next planning and managing a delegation.
Then – why don’t you download this one page visual which helps remind you of these key delegation steps. Print it out and stick it somewhere as a reminder.
Give it a try! Like any skill – effective delegation just takes mindful attention and practice!
