Delegation | A summary based on the lessons in Wrangling Squirrels

It’s not uncommon for leaders to hesitate when delegating their own tasks. Naturally, they may feel uneasy entrusting a task to someone else, especially when they know they are highly skilled and competent to deliver the best outcomes. They might worry that the result may not be as good as it could be if they do it themselves, that deadlines might not be met, and that their subordinates might not be able to collaborate effectively with others.

This mindset, however, not only hinders leaders from allocating higher responsibilities among their teams but also from practicing effective people management. Delegation goes hand in hand with project management. Having a project team with several members focusing on one or two tasks each is more efficient and more productive than having only one person juggle multiple tasks at once. No one person can be everything to a project–even the project leader. The success of your project relies on the collaborative efforts of your team. The reason why the first point of discussion in wrangling squirrels is how to build an effective team is that your team will determine the success of your project. But having the right people on board is just the first step–you have the get them doing the right things as well. It doesn’t just stop at appointing people for their specific roles and responsibilities in the project, but it also means sharing higher functions among your team through effective delegation. Remember, to be able to get more work done, you need more people doing the work.

Here are some signs that you need to work on your delegating skills as project leader:

– You are becoming overwhelmed with work. Despite efforts to practice time management or seek out help from others, you are always too busy with work. You haven’t finished with one task yet and you’re already taking on another one. The job just keeps piling up and it’s overwhelming you. This is the first sign that you must start delegating to other people.

– You are starting to lose focus on your work. Having too much on your plate can compromise your focus on the more important things in the project. Excessive workloads can be very stressful and can affect your overall productivity. There may be small things that don’t necessarily need your attention and can be delegated to other people in your team.

– You are not as productive as desired. Having too many tasks can affect your productivity. It divides your attention, time, energy, and other resources, and can compromise your overall productivity.

– You are not confident about your team’s abilities. You take on all the workload because you don’t trust that the others will be able to do them as well you. This is problematic for many reasons. If you’re not able to have confidence in your team’s abilities, you will always be carrying the burden of the entire workload.

Delegating doesn’t mean leaving the entire responsibility to the person you have assigned it to. As the leader, you are still responsible for keeping control of the operations and ensuring that the project plans are carried out successfully. However, as a manager, the last thing you want to do is to micromanage your people. In delegating tasks, you must find the right balance between keeping an eye on their activities and giving them the space to work at their own pace. When they have started with the work, make it a point to check in with them regularly. If the person is new to the task, you can do periodical visits to ask how they’re doing and monitor their progress. If the person is more experienced and has a better grasp on the task already, you can do away with fewer follow-ups and just ask for updates via email or through a monitoring system that’s accessible to the both of you. Resist being too controlling or constantly looking over their shoulder to check on their every move. Focus more on the results, less on the procedures.

Once the work is finished, evaluate. Is the work fully complete and of good quality? Were the expectations met? Make your assessment and provide your feedback. Solicit for their input and open a discussion so you can both address challenges, if any, to improve how tasks were delegated within your team.

Be engaging

Delegation involves a person-to-person approach, building effective and meaningful relationships with your people, especially those whom he works with toward the achievement of project objectives. Constantly engage your team and cultivate an atmosphere of respect, trust, and interdependence. This will lead to increased morale and motivation that will make them more understanding of the project objectives and more open to accepting additional tasks for the success of the project.

Be professional

Make sure you don’t unknowingly fall into having a “favorite” person to assign tasks to or a “friend” among your team whom you want to go easy on and avoid entrusting complicated assignments to. Be mindful, professional, and fair with your team when delegating. Entrust tasks to people who deserve the opportunity and whom you know will deliver by choosing objectively and without bias.

Be clear

Be very clear about the tasks you are delegating. Set expectations comprehensively–specify what outputs are expected, how soon they should be done, who is involved, and the likes. Poorly defined tasks can result in poor results and failure to meet deadlines.

Be specific

When giving assignments, make sure you provide all the necessary information your team will need to get the job done right and on time. Some may even need an outline or an overview of instructions on how to get the job done right. Remember to be clear and specific to avoid uncertainty and miscommunication.

Be empowering

Cultivate in your team a sense of ownership for the tasks delegated to them. Allow them the freedom to work how they wish but hold them accountable for the job. Require them to prepare and present regular progress reports. Make them understand that this is not just additional work for them, but this is an opportunity for them to prove themselves as efficient and responsible leaders. Giving them this much control over a higher assignment empowers them and uplifts them as professionals.