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.