Episode #453: How To Master The Art of The Delegation

This week we will look at becoming a master of delegation. Delegation is a mystery for many leaders. They don’t know how to get it to work properly, so they ignore its power. This is a busy life and business is becoming more and more complex each year. The leader needs to delegate for a couple of reasons.

The most important one is to help their subordinates become ready to step up into their own leadership positions. The fear that a subordinate will replace you is a misplaced concern in my view. Every organisation is looking for leaders and if you can show you are a dynamite leader production machine then the organisation will give you a bigger job to spread that magic further. For our own capacity to move up the ranks we need a replacement. If there is no one to succeed us, then we will be kept right where we are.

The other reason for delegation is to make sure we are only working on the most high level tasks that only we can do. If someone else can do it, then we should give it to them and give them the experience of operating at the boss’s level. That becomes very important in discussions with promotion panels, when the subordinate can point to the fact they have done work at that level and so can be given the responsibility to step up to the boss’s position.

The reason most boss’s don’t delegate or do it poorly is because they have never learnt a process for doing it. This delegation idea has been around for a long time, so really there is no excuse for not having a proven process to make it work well.

Let’s go through the eight step delegation process.

Step 1. Identify the Need</strong

Think about where delegating tasks will bring the most value and create a picture in your mind of what success would look like. How would this delegation benefit the business and benefit you, the boss?

Step 2. Select the Person

Don’t choose someone who doesn’t look busy. Choose carefully who should become a delegate. Delegation has a large element around developing the skills of that person, to position them to move up the ranks. This is a strategic choice we are making here, that has to do with our subordinates career development – this is a serious opportunity to prepare someone for promotion.

Step 3. Plan The Delegation

1. Decide the desired outcome. What would success involve? We need to be clear on what we are trying to achieve here, before we speak with anyone about it.

2. What is the current situation? Where does this delegation fit into the work situation considering both internal and external factors? Where is the subordinate positioned relative to their peers in terms of being groomed to step up in the organisation.

3. Goals must be clearly defined. Goals should be realistic, reasonable, challenging and attainable for the person doing the delegation. If the project is complex, then the delegation may be broken up and involve multiple people doing bite-sized pieces, which requires good coordination of the efforts.

Step 4. Hold a Delegation Meeting

Once we have done all of this, then we are ready to start speaking to our subordinates about the task required. This is one of the key steps which a lot of leaders fail to do well. It is critical to explain to the delegatee what is in this delegation for them. They may see it as the boss just pushing their excess dull and boring work off on to them. As mentioned earlier, to get promoted in organisations, interview panels want to know what you have done. If you can point out you have been operating at the boss’s level on some projects, that is a plus in moving up the ranks. When we put the delegation in these terms, the subordinate can see the benefits to them.

The results needed have to be clearly explained, as well as the task output quality and timelines. The delegate needs to have a clear picture of what success will look like.

Step 5. Create a Plan of Action

The temptation is for the boss to tell the delegate what to do in gory detail. We have to resist this temptation. This micro-management won’t create as much sense of ownership as having the delegate create the action plan. We want them to own the project, so let them design how to do it.

Step 6. Review the Plan

We don’t have to accept their ideas if we think they are unrealistic or ineffective. We need to have a discussion about what makes the most sense. We can collaborate on the solution. With the delegatee, go through the plan and amend where required and agree on the steps required.

Step 7. Implement the Plan

Once the plan has been agreed, then it is time to get to work on making it a reality. Let them get on with it.

Step 8. Follow Up

This is another critical stage in the delegation process. We don’t want to abandon the delegatee until the end and then find out they have taken the project in the wrong direction. We shouldn’t be micro-managing them either, so there is a balance to be found. We check in from time to time, for an update on progress and the methodology they are using.

Having a plan of action like this will make the whole delegation process proceed more smoothly and effectively. Don’t use trial and error. That just wastes valuable time. Instead use this proven methodology and enjoy the benefits of delegating immediately.