Mastering delegation: 5 steps managers should follow

"This job is too important to trust someone else with it."
"The team doesn't have the skills to handle the tasks assigned."
"What if something goes wrong?"
"I need to let the employees train more because only I have the skills to do this job right."
"The last time I delegated, it didn't go well, so how can I trust them again?"

Sounds familiar? You might think these are valid concerns, but the reality is that you're always busy, handling everything yourself. 

There's a saying: "If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together." No matter how knowledgeable or skilled you are, you can't do everything alone. You need a team—people who can help, support, and work with you to achieve success.

Many managers find it extremely difficult to let go of the tasks for the abovementioned reasons. But if you master the art of delegation and empowerment, you will build a champion team capable of conquering any challenge. 

What is delegating?

Delegating is the act of a manager or leader dividing large projects or tasks into smaller, more manageable assignments for subordinates to carry out. It’s also a management technique for organizing tasks in a way that aligns with each employee’s abilities and strengths, ensuring that work progresses smoothly, efficiently, and with maximum productivity.

By assigning specific tasks to subordinates, managers can free up time to focus on higher-value activities, while also empowering their team members to take ownership of their work. The ultimate goal is for everyone to collaborate effectively, completing tasks that contribute to achieving team objectives.

Benefits of delegating the right tasks to the right people

For managers

- Increased productivity: Proper task delegation ensures swift completion with high-quality results, allowing managers to focus on critical tasks and support business growth.

- Reduced workload: Delegating tasks helps lighten a manager’s workload, preventing overwhelm and burnout.

- Employee development: Delegation provides employees with learning opportunities, skill development, and knowledge growth, benefiting both individuals and the organization.

- Enhanced engagement: Trusting employees with tasks makes them feel valued, boosting engagement and commitment while reducing turnover rates.

- Talent discovery: Delegating tasks helps reveal and utilize hidden talents within the organization.

For employees

- Skill development: Proper task delegation allows employees to learn, gain experience, and advance their careers.

- Increased confidence: Trusting employees with important tasks boosts their confidence and motivates them to excel.

- Feeling valued: Delegation makes employees feel appreciated and strengthens their connection to the company.

When should you delegate(and when not to)?

The art of delegation lies in knowing when to let go and trust others with responsibilities.

If you are familiar with the Eisenhower matrix, you know that delegation is a must when it comes to urgent but not-too-essential tasks, the tasks that only you have the ability and authority to handle. 

To be more specific, it’s advisable to delegate when:

- Tasks exceed your capacity: Delegate tasks if you have too much on your plate and need to focus on higher priorities.

- Specific expertise is needed: Delegate to someone who has superior skills, more information, or better resources for the job.

- Developing team members: When you want to help team members grow, delegation offers them valuable learning experiences.

- Tasks are routine:  When facing repetitive tasks that don’t require your direct involvement, delegate to streamline operations.

- Seeking fresh perspectives: Delegate tasks to encourage innovative solutions and fresh ideas from team members with different viewpoints.

- Time constraints are critical: Delegate tasks with tight deadlines to ensure timely completion and avoid bottlenecks in the workflow.

Besides, there are situations where you should NOT delegate tasks:

- Do not delegate tasks related to employee discipline.

- Do not delegate tasks involving employee rewards.

- Do not delegate tasks that involve sensitive information.

5 steps on how to delegate tasks

Step 1: Identify the tasks to be delegated and prepare the key information

Managers need to answer key questions such as:

- What task needs to be delegated?

- What is the goal of this task?

- How does this task relate to the department’s overall objectives?

- Why are you delegating this task instead of handling it on your own or simply getting rid of it? 

- What resources are required?

- Which skill sets should the task performer have?

- When does the task need to start and be finished? 

- To what extent will you empower the employee?

It’s important to understand the limits of the authority being delegated. The employee needs to know when they can make decisions on their own and when they need your approval.

- Finally, categorize tasks by their importance, required skills, and deadlines.

Step 2: Select the right employee

Each employee has their strengths and weaknesses, so it's crucial to match the right employee to the right task, factor in their skills and interests such as:

- Professional expertise, work attitude, soft skills, work experience, and the ability to work in a team or independently.

- Additionally, consider the time available for the employee to complete the task, ensuring it doesn’t conflict with other responsibilities.

Step 3: Delegate the task

Once the information is clear and complete, arrange a meeting or, if working remotely, a video call to delegate the task. The goal is for both parties to fully understand and agree on the task details.

- Clearly explain the task’s objectives, requirements, and responsibilities. 

- Provide all necessary information and guidance to ensure the employee understands the task.

- Share your clear expectations for the task outcome.

- To ensure the employee fully understands the task, encourage them to provide feedback or ask questions. Listen to the employee’s questions and provide detailed answers - delegation should be a two-way communication. 

One important thing when delegating things that are out of the usual scope of the employee is explaining the "why" so that the employee is happy and ready to accept the challenge. 

If you understand the employee’s motivations and clearly connect the task to them, your team will be more willing and effective in completing it.

- Why do you believe they will do a good job?

- What previous experience will be helpful for this task?

- What benefits will the employee gain from completing this task?

Identify any additional training needed to ensure they can complete the task well.

Step 4: Monitor progress

To ensure the task is completed as expected, you need to monitor progress, provide timely support, and make necessary adjustments.

Depending on the employee's experience and skills, you will need to tailor your monitoring and support methods.

• If the employee doesn't know how to perform the task, provide step-by-step guidance.
• If the employee knows how but often fails to meet standards, offer close supervision and feedback to improve their skills.
• If the employee has the skills but lacks time or proper tools, arrange for more time or provide the necessary tools.
• If the employee has the skills, tools, and time but still underperforms, it may be a personal issue. In this case, calmly work with them to identify and address the underlying cause.

Be mindful of the message your level of intervention might send to the employee. Over-involvement may signal a lack of trust, while too little involvement could suggest you don't care about the task. Establish a process for regular check-ins, discussions, reports, and feedback to ensure the goals are met.

Additionally, when you decide to delegate a task, you must accept some level of risk. Understanding these risks helps you anticipate potential problems and manage the task effectively.

Let the employee know you are always ready to support them if issues arise. Avoid micromanaging or neglecting the task entirely.

Step 5: Evaluate results

Once the employee has completed the task, the manager should assess the outcome to determine if the objectives were met and identify areas for improvement. This is an opportunity to analyze the employee’s strengths and weaknesses to draw lessons from their performance.

Don’t forget to acknowledge and praise the employee's achievements, and also provide constructive suggestions for further enhancement in the future.

It's important to recognize that mistakes and failures are part of the learning and growth process. Instead of punishing or disciplining employees for failure, encourage them to learn from their mistakes, draw lessons, and improve competency.

Common challenges in delegation and how to overcome

In practice, many obstacles can hinder managers from delegating tasks effectively, leading to poor performance. Here are some common struggles and suggested solutions:

Poor delegation skills

Poor delegation skills are evident when a manager fails to clearly define the objectives and requirements of a task, doesn’t communicate sufficiently, doesn’t understand their employees, or cannot assess who is best suited for a task. Additionally, they may not assign appropriate authority and responsibility.

To address this, managers are advised to:

- Attend training courses and workshops, or learn from experienced individuals to enhance their delegation skills.

- Practice regularly and apply effective delegation tips in real-life situations.

Lack of trust

A common issue in the workplace is the lack of trust from managers toward their employees. Managers may frequently monitor and interfere with employees' work, which can diminish motivation and creativity.

To address this, managers are advised to:

- Build a relationship with employees through open communication, respect, and active listening.

- Give employees opportunities to demonstrate their abilities and autonomy in their work.

- Recognize the achievements of employees.

Mismatch tasks with skills

A frequent problem arises when managers assign tasks that are either too easy or too difficult for employees, leading to frustration and underperformance or wasted potential.

To prevent this, you should:

- Observe how employees handle their current tasks, noting their problem-solving skills, attention to detail, and efficiency.

- Have discussions with employees to understand their strengths, preferences, and areas where they feel most confident.

Task overloading

Assigning too many tasks at once can overwhelm employees, reducing work quality and impacting their well-being.

To prevent this, you should:

- Develop a reasonable work plan by breaking down tasks and distributing the workload scientifically.

- Use management tools to track progress and adjust workloads as necessary.

- Empower employees to take control of organizing and completing their tasks.

Lack of monitoring and evaluation

Without timely feedback and guidance, employees may feel unsupported and uncertain about their performance, which can impact their engagement and growth.

To address this, managers are advised to:

- Set up regular one-on-one meetings with employees to discuss their progress, challenges, and goals.

- Give specific, actionable feedback on performance, highlighting areas of improvement and acknowledging successes.

"The entrepreneur must effectively work on the business, rather than intensely in it.”

- Sangeeta Badal & Bryant Ott from Gallup

Last words

As a business grows, founders face the challenge of expanding beyond their initial skill set. They must hire the talent, build and manage a team, and shift focus from working in the business to working on it. 

That’s why sometimes delegation seems harder than doing the work yourself. It requires meticulousness, skills, and patience to assign the right tasks to the right people at the right time. But this shift is essential for sustaining growth and long-term success.