How to delegate work effectively as a leader or manager.

Sometimes being a team leader or manager can get really stressful because you’re constantly trying to get everything done and make life easy for your team.

Delegation is about giving tasks that you would normally do yourself to a capable member of your team.

It’s a way that you can make life easier for yourself while also giving the people in your team an opportunity to contribute and demonstrate their capability.

Why do we avoid delegation?

• “It’s quicker if I do it myself”
• “I know I can do it, but I think it’s too hard for my staff”
• “Staff will get it wrong and I’ll have to fix it myself anyways”

Giving your staff the opportunity to support you and do some of the complex tasks you would normally do yourself allows them to contribute in new ways, makes them feel valued and also allows them to learn new skills.

Either way, it’s a win-win situation which helps you to foster an engaging working environment and build capability in your organisation, whilst freeing up your valuable time to do more important things like coaching and development.

How to

Consider the following checklist to determine whether you can or should delegate tasks:

1. Is this a task that I must do, or is there someone in my team who can do it?
2. Is this a repeating task or something that only needs to be done once?
3. Is there someone in my team who already has the capability to do this and do they have time?
4. Is there someone in my team who would benefit from learning how to complete this task?
5. Is this an important (or confidential) task that only I have the authority to complete (e.g. recruitment, performance management, finances, etc)?

Delegation is all about having faith and trust in your staff to do the things that are required to run your business and improve overall performance. Remember you’re a leader after-all and the best way to help yourself be successful is to let your team help you to get things done whilst also helping them grow and develop their skills as individuals.

Have you struggled with delegation or is there anything that you wouldn’t delegate? Let us know below.