Effective leaders know how to delegate and though it can be difficult, it’s also one of the most important things you can do to support growth and productivity in your business. Delegating distributes work evenly through your organization, helps you focus your energy in more strategic areas, and it also allows you to capitalize on the individual strengths of different people on your team. It’s not just about offloading tasks, it’s also about driving creativity, efficiency, innovation, and collaboration. If you’re struggling with delegating, here are 4 tips to help you be more successful:
1. Determine the desired outcome BEFORE you identify the first item to delegate.
Think about the desired outcome you want to achieve at the end of a project or initiative. What happens at the end that means the project was a success? After you identify the outcome you want to achieve, work backward from there to identify the steps you need to delegate to get to that desired result.
2. Thoroughly understand what you’re asking of someone else so you communicate effectively.
Before delegating, make sure you understand the task and what you’re asking someone else to do. It’s hard to delegate effectively if you only peripherally understand what you’re asking someone else to do. If you don’t know enough about each aspect of the task or project, make sure to discuss who else needs to be consulted as part of the process.
3. Delegate to the RIGHT person.
Align projects and tasks with the corresponding capabilities and interests of your team. Other things to think about that relate to this include delegating to the right skill level, considering the existing workload of your team, and being mindful of their interests and development needs.
4. Discuss and document goals, expectations, timelines, and key information.
Communicating the desired outcome is part of delegating successfully, but it’s also important to document expectations and share insight on anticipated challenges, available resources, how (and who) to ask for help, and target timelines. Setting SMART goals that are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound helps provide structure and clarity on projects. It also helps the project owner know how to tell if they are on track so they can ask for help earlier in the process if things don’t go as planned.
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