As a manager, you're responsible for accomplishing work through others. There are three important reasons for you to delegate:

1. You can't do it all - the very nature of a management position dictates this.
2. Your job as a manager is to focus on the work only you can do - while that may involve some technical work, it also includes planning, administration, coaching and team building. You can't do that if you're focused on work others can - and should - do.
3. Your success depends on it - refer to points 1 and 2. Also, since your success as a manager is measured in part by how well you develop others, it makes good sense for you to delegate.

Managers are often reluctant to delegate because they are unsure of how to go about it and don't see the benefits.  Here are some typical reasons they avoid delegating:

• "I can't trust my employees to do the work." If you can't trust the people who work for you (and who you might have hired) who can you trust?
• "I'll lose control of a task and its outcome" The appropriate level of direction and follow-up will help ensure you retain control.
• "I'm the only one who knows how to do this right" The people closest to the job - usually your employees - probably know more than you.
• "I can do it more quickly myself" Unlikely if you're doing everything you're responsible for as well as your employees' work.
• "Delegation dilutes my authority" Actually, it extends it by allowing you to get more done, yourself and through others.
• "I won't get recognized for the work they do" You will get recognized for the great work you've done as a manager and team leader - which is what you're responsible for doing.
• "I can't be as flexible" It's difficult to be flexible when you're overloaded with everyone's work and crises because you didn't delegate.
• "They're too busy" Unlikely, particularly if you find yourself working late in the office after everyone else has gone home. Also, much like you, if the work assigned is challenging and interesting, they'll learn something new, they'll be recognized for their achievements, and they're very likely to be motivated to take on new responsibilities.
• "They won't like me" That's entirely possible, but if the work doesn't get done, it's unlikely you'll be particularly popular with your manager, peers or customers either. If you delegate appropriately, are fair with the work distribution, and provide the appropriate recognition, you'll earn your employee's respect.
• "They don't see the ‘big picture'" They certainly won't if you don't show them. As a manager, it's important for you to provide this information to your employee's so that you get buy-in and work toward the same goals.

Almost every manager has these feelings at one time or other.  These statements are management myths. All they do is create anxiety for supervisors and demotivate and frustrate the staff they supervise.

What to Delegate

Managers usually delegate to give themselves more time to do complex and difficult tasks, to improve productivity, or to develop their employees.  Some types of work you should consider delegating are:

• Detail work - this can tie you up when you should be making decisions, organizing others and planning how you and your employees can work together to achieve results.
• Information gathering - Your job is to consider the big picture, using only the most relevant information to make your decisions. This work, while interesting and fun, can take you away from that. It can be motivating and developmental for your employees to do it.
• Repetitive assignments - They aren't effective use of your time as a manager. Things like regular reports, filing, and other repetitive work, can, with the appropriate training, be delegated. And just because you don't like doing it, don't assume one of your employees might not find it interesting.
• Standing in for you at meetings and events - this makes better use of your time. Your stand-in can attend the meeting and provide you with the key details, saving you time, and giving the employee an important, interesting, and potentially developmental role.
• Areas where employees have more and/or more current expertise than you. As soon as you become a manager, your technical expertise may start to grow stale. Allow people with current expertise to carry the ball. It acknowledges their skill and lets you focus on the important checkpoints and outcomes.
• Future responsibilities - as a manager you should always be looking for ways to develop your staff and meet anticipated needs. Bringing them up to speed and training them in areas you feel will be important to your work unit's success will do this.

• Long-term vision & goals - With an overall understanding of your work unit, the organization and the marketplace, you're in the best position to do this most effectively.
• Performance feedback, reviews, discipline and counselling - In order to build positive professional relationships with your employees and connect with them, you need to do interact with them regularly on performance-related matters.
• Sensitive or confidential situations - Release of this information (deliberately or by mistake) can be damaging to you, your employees, and the organization. You need to assume responsibility for this to protect everyone's interests.
• Tasks that have specifically been assigned to you - IF you're expected to do it because you have unique skill, experience, or perspective, you shouldn't hand it off to someone else.

How to Delegate

Situational Leadership can help you determine what approach to use to delegate effectively. Each of the four leadership styles - telling, selling, participating and delegating - is a combination of task and relationship behaviour.  Effective delegation takes place when you correctly diagnose the employee's readiness level and provide the appropriate balance of task direction and relationship support.  This approach will help you ensure the job gets done, while also motivating the employee by providing him or her with the required support and encouragement. The ultimate goal of delegation is to help the employee get to a point where you can give him or her responsibility for decisions and implementation of work.
To delegate situationally, ask yourself:

• What skills and abilities does the employee need to perform the task to be delegated?
• Is the employee ready (willing/confident and able)?
• What do you need to do to get them to the appropriate readiness level?

Regardless of the employee's readiness level you'll have greater success delegating if you follow these steps:

1. Communicate the task clearly - let the employee know specifically what needs to be done.
2. Set the context - why, how it fits, potential problems.
3. Set standards - be SMART!
4. Grant authority - let the employee know the boundaries within which they can make decisions and take action, and when they should check in with you.
5. Provide support - resources, training, time, money, etc.
6. Get commitment - confirm understanding and acceptance.

Follow-up

Finally, consider what you'll need to do in terms of follow-up to ensure the employee successfully achieves the desired results:

• Be situationally appropriate - if they're completely lost, step in and provide direction, but if they just have questions, consider whether you need to answer them or push the employee to figure out the answers.
• Have a system to track what you've delegated - document tasks and timeframes.
• Communicate - check in to see how things are going, discuss problems, and recognize success.
• Meet your commitments - if you've agreed to take on certain tasks or provide support, be sure to carry them out.
• Evaluate and recognize performance and results appropriately - review the work and talk about what went well and what could be improved, not only in terms of task completion, but also as far as the way in which the work was delegated and the support you provided is concerned.

The Benefits of Successful Delegation

When you delegate successfully, you, your customers, the organization and your employees all benefit. Here's how:

• More time for you to handle your management responsibilities - which translates into better planning, client service, and relationships with your peers and manager.
• More time for you to further your own professional development.
• More time for you to coach and develop employees.
• Empowerment, development, involvement and motivation for your staff.