Delegation is the method of getting things done by other people. We all delegate on a daily basis, in our homes, offices, place of worship, on the road e.t.c. You wonder how you delegate on the road, if you board a commercial bus with no conductor and you sit at the rear side of the bus, you simply get your money across to the driver by handing it over to someone else to give to him – this is delegation.
Every man has limits when it comes to certain resources hence the need to delegate. This is a very powerful tool in the hand of a leader, like a notable leader state ‘I will rather set ten men to work than do the work of ten men’. It’s benefits outweighs it’s cons, for example succession plan becomes easier through delegation as followers are trained to become leaders through the process, also a leader can concentrate on very important issues by delegating, also those you delegate to have a sense of belonging and know that you trust them.
In as much as delegating is a good strategy, there are certain things to be considered when doing it, else relationships will likely go sour. As the one delegating, you should know who, what and when to delegate, in the office for instance, a boss should know the ability and experience of his subordinates before giving out a task. You should also consider training when delegating, has this person been trained for the assignment you are delegating?
Communication is a key issue in delegation; this is why every leader must constantly hone his/her communication skills. You should be clear in communicating what your expectations are as per the task given, do not be vague, be descriptive, also do not assume the person you are delegating to should know what you expect. It is expedient to assess the risk involved in delegating and communicate such to help the delegate understand how crucial his success or failure is. Express when you want the job completed, where and how you want the task submitted, motivate and evaluate the delegate. Letting the person know the level of confidence you repose in her is a source of motivation.
You need patience while delegating, because we are all of different personalities, our rates of achievements vary, be patient enough to know that a new employee may take longer time to do a thing than one who has been at it for years. This is why we said earlier that assessing the risk is of importance, start from small task to bigger ones, give room for training and retraining. Remember that you make mistake too at times, so do not be too hard on yourself or the delegate.
Trust is also a major challenge in delegation, so many leaders find it hard to delegate because of lack of trust, I encourage subordinates to earn their leaders’ trust, and then ask them how they could be of help in what they are doing. This way, your boss will sense a level of commitment in you and delegate tasks to you. When you are not clear about the task, be courageous enough to ask the person delegating to you to explain further, it is better you do this than waste resources by doing the wrong thing.
Delegating to children also has to do with the things we have discussed, in addition, we should not underestimate their abilities, and we should not overburden them. The fact that you visit your friend whose 4 year old son washes the dishes does not mean you should come home and bounce on your own 4 year old daughter to start washing dishes and expect the same level of competence. Start by having her rinse them after you wash, then she can wash under your supervision, after you can leave them to her totally ( I am sure some will get broken, remember not just to scold but also praise).
There are some things you should avoid delegating, fro example the training (especially disciplining) of your children, I hear parents say things like ‘didn’t they teach you in school not to lie, and I wonder where values should first be taught if not the home. Try as much as possible to inculcate enduring values in your children rather than expecting their teachers to do this.
Always keep in mind to thank the delegate, yes I know you pay them as the CEO, but take to heart that they are human and thrive on praise, even you do.
Remember, you begin to live when you begin to relate truly.
relateandlive@yahoo.com, dupeoteri.blogspot.com
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