How To Delegate Tasks Effectively

Managing is a function that is usually defined as achieving goals with and through others. A manager has to achieve certain results with the resources that he has, the most important one is their team. The most difficult and complex tasks, mainly achieving desired goals, have to be performed by the team. To be clear, what other people do will not have to be done by the manager or team leader. The problem is, many managers and leaders don’t know how to delegate effectively, or aren’t willing to do it unless they absolutely have to.

In this guide, you will discover what delegation really entails, how delegating tasks benefits your team, and how to assign tasks effectively.

What Does Delegate Mean

Delegating is more difficult than it seems. Many managers think that delegating is passing one’s power and tasks on to another person temporarily, but it is not, and this is a common problem; not knowing exactly what delegating means.

The verb “to delegate” means to assign the responsibility for doing something, such as a task or project, to another individual. Delegating common time-consuming tasks to lower-level employees or contractors is a common practice among efficient entrepreneurs, business owners, and managers as it allows them to focus on more impactful tasks that require their full attention.

Why Do We Delegate

Delegation implies granting a collaborator or a team member a function that is always performed by the leader or managers. Delegating has a number of advantages:

• Increases leadership capacity
• Releases the leader from routine and less critical tasks
• Addresses most important management issues
• Reduces delay in decision-making
• Provides ideas and new approaches
• Creates a positive environment within the team
• Adds to the development of each team member and their ability to make decisions

How To Delegate Properly

Here are seven ways you can start delegating more effectively.

Selecting the right person for the job

There are two factors behind choosing an appropriate person: you can select the one that has the best qualifications and can achieve the best results or the one that will derive the most from new experiences.

Giving enough information

The delegate should be provided with an overview of what he is supposed to do, so that he or she can get the full picture of the work and expected results.

Entrusting the person with full responsibility

This will make the delegate more interested and even more committed to the work delegated to him or her, although the ultimate responsibility falls on the boss.

Focusing on results, not on the process

It is more important to delegate responsibility than work. Many directors imagine that delegating implies getting rid of work so that others do it and this is a very common mistake.

Delegating through dialogue

You need to delegate in an environment that allows giving a complete explanation of the project, without interruptions. You need to devote enough time to dialogue.

Setting dates for reviews

You need to check and keep track of the project that has been delegated to someone else to make sure that the person is doing a good job. It is not advisable to focus only on what is wrong, but rather you should see what can be done to improve the results.

Giving credit where it’s due

After you’ve delegated tasks and they’ve been seen through to completion, credit those who achieved the work. The more you thank and credit those you’ve delegated work to, the more likely it is they will want to help you on other projects in the future.

Bottom Line

The best advice is just to start small. Delegate your low priority, “easy” tasks first and work your way up from there. Eventually, you’ll be able to let down your guard and delegate more easily. 

Finally, it’s important to touch base after the task is complete to review the results and look for ways to improve your process. Always be measuring, learning, and rewarding! A task well done deserves recognition, and your team will thank you for it!