The Delights of Delegation
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Current as at May 2014
Introduction & Overview
1. What is delegation?
2. Why delegate?
3. Pitfalls of delegation
4. Barriers to delegating
5. When to delegate
6. SMARTER to delegate
7. Levels of delegation
8. How to successfully delegate
9. Delegation don’ts
10. Top tips
11. Delegation and decision making
12. Next steps
Contact Suzanne at Performance Advantage on 0408 897 079 or [email protected]
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What is delegation?
The Oxford dictionary defines delegation as:
“Entrust (a task or responsibility) to another person,
typically one who is less senior than oneself.”
Delegation is a two way process and people cannot be held responsible for
something which they have not agreed to.
Source: http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/delegation.html and
http://www.businessballs.com/delegation.htm
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What is delegation? (cont.)
It is important to note that there are various levels of delegation depending
on the employee’s level of experience, reliability, familiarity with the task or
situation, and how important the task is.
At Level 1 the employee is told exactly what to do and how to do it. There is
no freedom at all at this level. At the highest level, Level 10, the employee
is given complete freedom and complete responsibility for part of the
Manager’s job. This is rare and occurs usually when the Manager is
grooming a successor.
In all but the highest level of delegation the Manager ultimately retains
responsibility for the outcome.
Source: http://www.businessballs.com/delegation.htm
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What is delegation? (cont.)
As a leader it is critical that you understand the level that each of your team
members are at.
To determine, consider (and monitor):
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Skill development
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Training needs
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Tasks that you can delegate
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Time that you have available to coach and support
Contact Suzanne at Performance Advantage on 0408 897 079 or [email protected]
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Why delegate?
Benefits of delegating may include:
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Saves you time
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Develops your people
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Develops your organisation
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Develops your skills as a Manager
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Builds capacity
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Creates a sense of team
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Develops commitment for the organisation’s vision
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Grooms a successor
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Motivates
Contact Suzanne at Performance Advantage on 0408 897 079 or [email protected]
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Pitfalls of delegation
When delegation is not done clearly and appropriately the following
consequences may occur:
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Frustration for you
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Frustration for your team
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Demotivation
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Confusion
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Failure to achieve the task or goal
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Hesitation or avoidance towards delegation in future
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Disconnection of your team
Contact Suzanne at Performance Advantage on 0408 897 079 or [email protected]
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Barriers to delegating
How often have you heard, or tell yourself?:
• “It’s easier to do it myself.”
• “It takes longer for me to explain it than to do it.”
• “I don’t have the time to delegate.”
• “It won’t take me too long.”
• “I know this stuff like the back of my hand.”
• “No one else has the skills/knowledge.”
• “I don’t like to ask for help.”
• “People expect me to do it.”
• “It’s my job.”
• “My team is really busy.”
Remember delegation allows you to make the best use of your time and
skills, and helps other people in the team develop their skills, motivation and
sense of purpose within the organisation.
Contact Suzanne at Performance Advantage on 0408 897 079 or [email protected]
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Exercise
Consider the statements from the previous slide. Which
statement have you heard yourself say or think?
How valid are each of these statements?
Discuss.
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Key points
Delegation is crucial for effective
management.
Management is control of resources.
Your people are your Number 1 resource.
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10
When to delegate
When deciding when to delegate consider the following key questions:
1.Does a member/s of my team have (or be given) the necessary
information and/or expertise to complete the task?
2.Does the task give the team member/s an opportunity to develop their
skills?
3.Will the task recur in the future?
4.Do I have enough time to delegate the task properly?
5.Should I delegate this task? (Some tasks are crucial for the organisation’s
long term success and genuinely need your attention).
If you can answer "yes" to some of these questions, it may be worth
delegating this job.
Source: http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newLDR_98.htm
Contact Suzanne at Performance Advantage on 0408 897 079 or [email protected]
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When to delegate
Other factors to consider are:
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Timelines and impact
– How much time is there to do the job?
– What are the consequences of not getting the job done on time?
– Will there be time to redo the job if necessary?
– How much would other areas of the organisation be impacted?
Expectations:
– Would a failure be critical?
– How important is the quality of the results?
– Is an "adequate" result good enough?
Source: http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newLDR_98.htm
Contact Suzanne at Performance Advantage on 0408 897 079 or [email protected]
12
Exercise
Consider when you will delegate.
Create a checklist for when to delegate:
Items for consideration when delegating
Yes/No
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SMARTER to delegate
Delegated tasks must be SMART:
Specific
Measurable
Agreed
Realistic
Timebound
For optimal results delegated tasks should be SMARTER:
As above +
Ethical
Recorded
Source: http://www.businessballs.com/delegation.htm
Contact Suzanne at Performance Advantage on 0408 897 079 or [email protected]
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Levels of delegation
There are different levels of delegation for different groups, skill base,
maturity, tasks, etc. Each level incrementally gives the person more control
and assists in developing competency.
Level 1 – Do exactly what I say.
There is no freedom and no decision making.
Level 2 – You investigate and I’ll decide.
Encourages assessment of the situation but no decision making skills.
Level 3 – You investigate and we’ll decide.
Encourages assessment of the situation and provides an insight into the
decision making process.
Source: http://www.businessballs.com/delegation.htm
Contact Suzanne at Performance Advantage on 0408 897 079 or [email protected]
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Levels of delegation (cont.)
Level 4 – You investigate and decide what help you need from me in
assessing and handling it then we’ll decide.
Encourages analysis and some decision making while providing an insight
into the decision making process.
Level 5 – Give me your analysis and recommendation. I’ll let you know
whether you can go ahead.
Encourages analysis and decision making but allows for Manager to check
the thinking before going ahead.
Level 6 – Decide and let me know your decision, but wait for my say
so.
The person is competent enough to analyze and possibly to implement but
Manager controls the timing (possibly due to competence, priorities,
changing factors, etc.)
Source: http://www.businessballs.com/delegation.htm
Contact Suzanne at Performance Advantage on 0408 897 079 or [email protected]
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Levels of delegation (cont.)
Level 7 – Decide and let me know your decision, then go ahead unless
I say not to.
The person is competent enough to analyze and implement and the person
is now able to take control. Encourages the person to take initiative,
reporting their analysis and recommendations and proceeding unless told
otherwise.
Level 8 – Decide and take action – let me know what you did.
The person has control but allows for immediate analysis of effectiveness by
the Manager.
Level 9 – Decide and take action. You need not check back with me.
The most freedom given while the Manager still retains responsibility .
Effectiveness is not assessed until later as part of normal business analysis.
Source: http://www.businessballs.com/delegation.htm
Contact Suzanne at Performance Advantage on 0408 897 079 or [email protected]
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Levels of delegation (cont.)
Level 10 – This is your area of responsibility now. Decide and take
action as you see fit.
The most freedom you can give a person. It is delegating part of the
Manager’s job and usually involves a formal change of role. Used to either
develop a successor or decrease an area of the Manager’s accountability.
Source: http://www.businessballs.com/delegation.htm
Contact Suzanne at Performance Advantage on 0408 897 079 or [email protected]
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Exercise
Consider one of your team members.
Based on your new understanding of the levels of
delegation, at what level would you consider this team
member to be?
Can you think of other team members that are
higher/lower?
Why?
Contact Suzanne at Performance Advantage on 0408 897 079 or [email protected]
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How to successfully delegate
There are 9 steps to successful delegation:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
Define the task
Select the person or team
Assess ability and training
Explain reasons, importance, relevance
State required results
Consider resources required
Agree on deadlines
Support and communicate
Monitor
Feedback on results.
Source: http://www.businessballs.com/delegation.htm
Contact Suzanne at Performance Advantage on 0408 897 079 or [email protected]
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Checklist
Delgation tasks
1.
Define the task
2.
Select the person
3.
Reasons for selection
4.
Reason for the task
5.
Objective of task
6.
Task specifics (steps)
7.
Resources required
8.
Timeframe
9.
Milestones
10.
Agreed meeting times for
monitoring and feedback
Specifics
Date completed/communicated
Contact Suzanne at Performance Advantage on 0408 897 079 or [email protected]
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Delegation don’ts
Some areas of caution:
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•
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Don’t take credit for the work
Don’t delegate tasks only because you dislike them
Don’t delegate as a punishment
Don’t overwhelm staff with a myriad of tasks (learning takes time, trial &
error).
Contact Suzanne at Performance Advantage on 0408 897 079 or [email protected]
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Top tips
Top tips of effective delegation are:
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•
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•
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Know which tasks are appropriate to delegate
Determine who the task should be delegated to and when (not last
minute)
Delegate appropriately – level of delegation in line with competency
Use SMARTER delegation when planning and initiating
Clearly communicate the task to be delegated – explain and discuss
Set control points (milestones)
Let others know about the delegation
Support – don’t control
Monitor and provide feedback
Allow failure to become learning.
Contact Suzanne at Performance Advantage on 0408 897 079 or [email protected]
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Delegation & decision making
Supervisors and Managers are paid to make and prioritize decisions (e.g.
solve problems in a timely fashion).
Effective Supervisors and Managers involve their team wherever possible in
decision making, drawing on and valuing their skills and knowledge.
Decision making skills are often required throughout the different levels of
delegation. It is important Managers are clear on how to make good
decisions so they can foster this skill in their people.
Contact Suzanne at Performance Advantage on 0408 897 079 or [email protected]
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Decision making steps
There are 8 steps to successful decision making:
1.Define the problem
2.Get the facts
3.Analyse the facts
4.Redefine the problem
5.Develop solutions
6.Select a solution
7.Implement
8.Evaluate & follow up
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Decision making guidelines
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Encourage decision making creativity through risk taking, and be tolerant
of honest mistakes.
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Develop an open atmosphere that encourages organisational members
to offer and accept feedback.
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Be committed to the decision making process; use it, and let data, not
emotions, drive decisions.
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Seek employees input before you make key decisions.
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Believe in, foster and support group decision making in the organisation.
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Believe that the best way to improve the quality of decisions is to ask and
listen to employees who are doing the work.
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Seek and use high quality information.
Contact Suzanne at Performance Advantage on 0408 897 079 or [email protected]
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Next steps
1.
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Get clear on your understanding of:
Why you should delegate
When you can delegate
How you can delegate effectively
2. PRACTICE!
Remember developing any skill takes time and can feel uncomfortable until
you become familiar with it.
3. Get support when needed
Performance Advantage offers a six session coaching program on
delegation, taking you through the practical application of each of the
principles touched on today - and supporting you to effectively delegate.
Call Performance Advantage on 0408 897 079.
Contact Suzanne at Performance Advantage on 0408 897 079 or [email protected]
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