Master the Art of Delegating

Delegating tasks represents one of the greatest opportunities a leader has to influence the operations of their team. This is true because a certain amount of power comes from the ability to delegate—to act as a task-master (without the negative connotations). That power is matched by the equal power held by the individual to whom a task is delegated—the task-maker.

Leaders who wish to perfect the art of delegating must understand that they and the team members they select as task-makers share responsibility for completing tasks. Delegation should not be done in a way that rids the task-master of responsibility and accountability. In fact, delegating appropriately increases the task-master’s responsibility and accountability to the degree that they are now responsible for seeing that the task is completed and that the task-maker performs well.

What Leaders Do When They Delegate

Leaders must keep in mind that delegating is not abdicating. Delegating requires a leader to retain accountability and responsibility for sharing a task with the person to whom the work is delegated. Getting rid of tasks by reassigning them and giving the responsibility entirely to another person is the opposite of this.

Delegating well starts with choosing the best person to perform a task. “Best” can mean many things, including who can learn the most, who can do the work in the most efficient manner and who is a respected peer. Considering whether a potential task-maker has availability in their schedule to accommodate a new task is also important. If a team member already feels overworked or burned out, chances are they will not complete a delegated task to the best of their ability.

Equally important is ensuring a task-maker has the skills or capability to complete a delegated task. Ensuring task-makers are properly prepared and given adequate information and resources are necessary components of the art of delegating.

Knowledge and techniques can certainly be taught, and a task-master who delegates a task as a learning opportunity must accept responsibility for educating and training their team member. So, a leader must ask themselves whether the right person for the job is someone they have time to teach. If the answer is no, could training be delegated to yet another employee who possesses the requisite knowledge and skills?

Once a task-maker is chosen and confirmed to have the time and ability to do the job, the task-master must clearly delineate the task. Clear, regular and two-way communication between the task-master and task-maker is key to successful completion of a delegated task. Misunderstandings will, at best, put a project off track.

Using S.M.A.R.T. goals while delegating is important in this regard. Both the task-master and the task-maker must understand the specifics of the task, and the result should be measurable, attainable, realistic and timely.

Having a task-maker repeat task specifics and goals in their own words ensures instructions and expectations are clear. It also gives the task-master opportunities to correct misunderstandings before the task-maker puts in time and effort.

Accountability Exists Throughout the Process of Delegation

The task-master never lets go of accountability for completing a task. Rather, they share it with the task-maker. It is also true that the task-maker takes on a certain amount of accountability, which the task-master must acknowledge.

Delegation naturally creates a learning experience for the task-maker, and they should be held accountable for acquiring new or enhanced knowledge and skills. What the task-maker learns or how they develop is just as important as doing the job.

Leaders who hold others accountable make themselves personally accountable and accountable to their organization. To ensure accountability remains, the task-master must be available to the task-maker for the entire time a task is being performed. The job of the task-master is to inspire confidence, encourage questions and empower the task-maker. Setting daily or weekly goals helps with this, as does scheduling check-ins. If the task-maker keeps coming back with questions, the task-master must hold themselves accountable and ask, “Did I properly communicate and delegate this task?”

Once a delegated task is completed, the task-master must hold themselves accountable in a different way by checking the task-maker’s work. Was the task completed to specifications? What did the task-maker learn? Are there areas for improvement?

Exert a Positive Influence by Delegating

Leaders must understand and fully grasp the art of delegating in order to have a positive influence on their team members. In particular, leaders must start preparing future leaders by delegating tasks as learning and development opportunities.

Too often, leaders may feel that they cannot or should not delegate tasks they can do better than other employees could. Acting on that impulse does nothing to pass on knowledge and give employees the experience to keep the organization operating into the future. In other words, today’s task-masters must delegate in order to train and prepare tomorrow’s task-masters.

Another concern is that task-masters have a tendency to take task-makers for granted. One of the biggest pitfalls of delegating is the task-master failing to understand that they are in a work relationship with task-makers. To facilitate good performance, the relationship must be based on trust. Each person must know they can rely on the other to communicate clearly, accept accountability, look for areas of improvement and provide or participate in training as necessary. Further, while leaders have the power to delegate, they should respect team members’ time, ensure adequate resources, answer questions and take responsibility for problems.

Last, yes, delegating is a great way for a leader to clear their schedule so they can focus their energy on more important tasks. But delegating should not be treated as only a timesaver. Nor should delegating be treated as a one-and-done, ad hoc activity. Making an art of delegating requires planning, skill, balance and a desire to help others within the organization grow.

Delegating creates a relationship that should be cherished and nourished. The more successfully a leader can delegate tasks, the better their team will function. All leaders must become skilled in the art of delegating lest they foster a negative team culture lacking in trust and commitment.