Guidelines for Delegating

The delegation process has five phases:

1. Preparing
2. Planning
3. Discussing
4. Auditing
5. Appreciating

Phase 1: Preparing

Preparing includes establishing the objectives of the delegation, specifying the task that needs to be accomplished, determining if the timing is right and deciding who should accomplish it.

Guidelines on Preparing

• Clarify the task in your own mind. Visualise what the finished task or product should look like. Managers are often disappointed with the work their staff returns to them because they themselves weren’t clear about what they wanted in the first place.
• Take the time to carefully evaluate potential job candidates, whether for part-time, freelance, full-time, or even unpaid internship or volunteer help, so you pick the right person to delegate to.
• Unless proven otherwise, trust those to whom you delegate.
• Explain why the person(s) was (were) selected for this task.
• Get commitment. Make sure that your employee has accepted the assignment.
• Delegate segments that make sense; not bits and pieces of a task but share the “big picture”. People like to know how their segment will help the larger programme.
• If possible, delegate responsibility for a specific job that could be done from start to finish, not just one small task that would require your constant supervision.

Phase 2: Planning

Planning is meeting with the chosen subordinate to describe the task and to ask the subordinate to devise a plan of action. Consider the level of authority you wish to assign. Andrew Carnegie once said, “The secret of success is not in doing your own work but in recognizing the right man to do it.” Trust between the supervisor and employee – that both will fulfil the commitment – is most important.

Guidelines on Planning

• Furnish context for the task. Explain why the task needs to be done, its importance in the overall scheme of things and possible complications that may arise during its performance.
• Clearly specify your preferred results. Give information on what, why, when, who, where and how. Write this information down.
• Determine standards. Agree on the standards that you will use to measure the success of a task’s completion. These standards should be realistic and attainable.
• Delegate responsibility and authority – assign the task, not the method, to accomplish it. Let the subordinate complete the task in the manner they choose, if the results are what the manager specifies. Let the employee have strong input as to the completion date of the project. Note that you may not even know how to complete the task yourself – this is often the case with higher levels of management.
• Ask the employee to summarise back to you, their impressions of the project and the results you prefer. Variously called “contracts” or “psychological contracts” or “emotional contracts”, these expressions describe the process of agreeing with the other person what they should do, and the expectations linked to the responsibility. It all basically means the same, whatever you call it.

The point is that people cannot be held responsible for something to which they’ve not agreed. The point is also that everyone is more committed to delivering a responsibility if they’ve been through the process agreeing to do it. This implies that they might have some feeling about the expectations attached, such as time-scale, resources, budget, etc. even purpose and method.

You must give the other person opportunity to discuss, question and suggest issues concerning expectations attached to a delegated task. This is essential to the contracting process. Proper agreement or “contract” between you and the other person. Certain general responsibilities of course are effectively agreed implicitly within people’s job roles or job descriptions or employment contract, but commonly particular tasks, projects, etc. that you need to delegate are not, in which case specific discussion must take place to establish proper agreement or “contract” between you and the other person.

Phase 3: Discussing

Discussing includes reviewing the objectives of the task as well as the subordinate’s plan of action, any potential obstacles and ways to avoid or deal with these obstacles. The manager should clarify and solicit feedback as to the employee’s understanding. Clarifications needed for delegation include the desired results (what not how), guidelines, resources available and consequences (good and bad). Delegation is like contracting between the manager and employee regarding how and when the work will be completed. The standards and time frames are discussed and agreed upon. The employee should know exactly what is expected and how the task will be evaluated.

Guidelines on Discussing

• Discuss the task at hand. Discuss ideas; mutually set goals and objectives. Whenever possible, give those who will be responsible for carrying out a programme a voice in the decision-making. Do not lower standards; don’t insult your members!
• Find out how you will know when they need help. Make sure they understand you are willing to assist but must first be told when and how you can help. Give accurate and honest feedback. People want and deserve to know how they are doing. This is both an opportunity for giving satisfaction and encouraging growth. Allow for risk-taking and mistakes.
• Support by sharing information, knowledge and plans with them. It is incredible how many errors are made simply due to a lack of information. Share their failures as well as their successes.
• Allow for creativity and variations in work style. Keep your focus on the results/products, not on the details of how the job gets done. People work according to individual learning styles and preferences. When you let them work in their preferred ways, they feel ownership for the effort. While some people like to work piece-meal, some like to work through continuous effort. Some people can multi-task, and some like to work at one thing at a time. Some need more structure and supervision than others. Those on your team may not perform the task exactly as you would. If you have selected skilled, talented people, they will probably do the job better than you would have and you may be pleasantly surprised with results.

Phase 4: Audit/Monitor

Auditing is monitoring the progress of the delegation and adjusting in response to unforeseen problems.

Guidelines on Auditing

• Have definite “check points” for completion of a specific task or job and some system of on-going communication to those you delegate to.
• Set up self-monitoring systems for member progress so you don’t feel the urge to look over shoulders (i.e. calendars with deadlines, weekly report forms, etc.).
• Check in periodically and ask your team about their progress. Are they on schedule? Do they have the resources they need? Have they run up against any unforeseen obstacles? Do they still understand the requirements? Monitor the work and give feedback in a positive, helpful way.
• When you check on progress, ask open-ended questions such as “How are you coming along on the brochures?” or “What are you working on now, and what have you accomplished since we last talked?” Provide sincere praise and positive reinforcement for all efforts.
• If the work is behind schedule, or the finished products are flawed, maintain a helpful, open attitude. Explore with team members how improvements could be made. Ask what additional help and resources they need. Help them brainstorm new approaches. You may want to restructure work assignments or assign a mentor to an employee who isn’t learning quickly. You may need to bring in a specialist or negotiate with the customer for a later delivery date.
• If you’re not satisfied with the progress, don’t immediately take the project back. Continue to work with the employee and ensure they perceive the project as their responsibility.
• Evaluate the importance of evaluation. You must not overlook the need to evaluate and measure the extent to which actions conformed to plans, if the plans went well or if the original plans were appropriate and worthwhile. Use appropriate feedback techniques. One of your most important roles as a leader is to help your members to learn and grow through both their successes and their failures! Your members are your greatest resource. Let them create and turn their creativity into action!

Phase 5: Appreciating

Appreciating is accepting the completed task and acknowledging the subordinate’s efforts.

Guidelines on Appreciating

• Give praise and credit to the person to whom you are delegating.
• Evaluate and reward performance. Evaluate results, not methods. Address insufficient performance and reward successes (including the manager’s).
• Provide incentives and show appreciation – Let people know there is a pay-off in working for you and develop a reputation as someone who rewards good work. Pay increases, bonuses, stock options and promotions are significant incentives for getting people to go the extra mile. You can give other rewards too. Such as time-off, a letter of appreciation in the personnel file, special mention in the corporate or industry newsletter, an award, a gift or an invitation to a special corporate/industry event for insiders only. You can recognize the team or individuals at a corporate meeting or plan a special luncheon for them at project completion. Send personal notes of thanks and say, “Thank you for a job well done.”

Click here to view a video on the delegation process.