A good manager knows that the work is best done when he or she can share the responsibility with others. Micromanaging your team can suffocate them, and too little management would leave the team in the dark. Hence, this is where the importance of delegation comes into play. A good leader would assign the task to his team along with the broad vision and clarity of the work involved. Delegation is the process of shifting authority of a task or activity from a person (usually a manager or leader) to another person. Here, you will go through the importance of delegation in leadership and what are the various steps in a delegation of authority.
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What Delegation Does Not Mean
Some could misunderstand the meaning of delegation as just disowning responsibilities. Let us clear the misconceptions around delegation and understand what delegation does not mean:
Delegation is not about surrendering one’s responsibility and dumping it on another. It is about spreading it out to people in a way that is in the best interest of the company’s long and short-term goals.
Delegation does not tell people exactly what to do and how to do it. In delegation, the leader would explain the outcomes and results that the team is expected to achieve. The team can then decide the best course of action to reach those goals.
The delegation will change depending on the situation. It means there are a lot of factors that go into determining what to delegate, when to delegate, etc. It needs planning, time, and effort to figure all this out.
Delegation is not a sign of weakness on the leader’s part. Instead, it means that you are strong enough to identify and delegate projects which best suits a specific team. It does good to you, the team, and the organization on the whole.
Importance of Delegation in Management
The very first thing that delegation brings to the table is that leaders can focus on high-value activities and be more productive with their time. There are certain tasks that only leaders can perform like coaching the team in which delegation lets them do with more focus. The importance of effective delegation can be understood from the points discussed below:
Prioritization of tasks gains priority - In the process of delegation, managers understand what can be delegated and what can not. This way, they can prioritize tasks and determine who can do the delegated tasks. Based on factors like time sensitivity, importance, routine, etc., leaders can effectively delegate tasks.
Employees feel empowered - By taking on new work, employees feel empowered, and they can showcase many aspects of their capabilities. They get more invested in their work as the decision-making lies with them now. The importance of delegation of power can be seen by an overall deep sense of engagement and commitment amongst employees.
Supports the development of new skills - The importance of delegation in an organization is also about new skills being built across the firm. The team leaders, along with their direct reports, start taking responsibility for the outcome of every task. An effective delegation builds competencies and accountability in employees.
Steps of Delegation of Authority
Choose the appropriate task to delegate - This is done by splitting up upcoming tasks into various categories like
urgent (and important)
non-urgent (and important),
urgent (and not important)
non-urgent (and not important).
Once you have done that you must choose to delegate tasks that fall in urgent (and not important) and non-urgent (and not important) since you do not need to spend your precious time on these tasks. The first two categories would require more planning, but they can be delegated too.
Decide Who to Delegate to
Here you will have to consider the following aspects in determining the right person for the delegate job:
Experience and skills of an individual
The existing workload of the person.
Who will be able to develop new skills by delegating the current task?
What is the preference or working style of the individual?
You must consider that delegation benefits you as well as the person you choose to delegate the work to.
Plan and Set Clear Objectives
Objectives set must be measurable, time-bound, specific, and realistic. You need to provide all the information to the person the task is being delegated to. The person must also be granted the necessary authorities and resources required to carry out the tasks.
Implementation of Delegation
In this step, you gain the commitment of the individual for the work being delegated. You would need to do the following:
Ask them open questions to ensure they have the correct understanding of the work and are committed to it.
Get an understanding of how they feel about the work and what approach are they going to take to go forward with the activity.
Agree on a timeframe for the completion of the task.
Explain to them the consequences of not completing the job on time.
Monitor
Delegation must be monitored by the manager through informal chats or regular reviews. You must also be available to support the team as and when they need it.
Evaluate
Once the task is over, evaluate and review it with feedback to the team. Constructive feedback is very vital for the development of the team. Feedback must be given sensitively using coaching models like the GROW model.
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FAQs on Delegation: Importance and Step-by-Step Process
1. What is meant by delegation in business management?
Delegation is the process where a manager assigns a part of their work and associated authority to a subordinate, allowing them to perform specific tasks. It is a downward transfer of authority from a superior to a subordinate. However, the manager remains ultimately accountable for the final outcome of the task.
2. What are the three essential elements of the delegation process?
The three core elements of delegation, which are interdependent, are:
- Authority: This refers to the right of an individual to command their subordinates and to take action within the scope of their position. It is the power granted to the subordinate to complete the assigned work.
- Responsibility: This is the obligation of a subordinate to properly perform the assigned duty. It arises from a superior-subordinate relationship, where the subordinate is bound to perform the duty assigned by the superior.
- Accountability: This implies being answerable for the final outcome of the assigned task. While authority can be delegated, accountability cannot. The subordinate is accountable to the manager, and the manager is ultimately accountable to their own superior.
3. Can you explain the step-by-step process of effective delegation?
The process of delegation follows a logical sequence to ensure clarity and effectiveness:
- Assigning Responsibility: The manager first defines the task and assigns the duty to a capable subordinate. The expected results are clearly communicated.
- Granting Authority: The manager grants the necessary authority to the subordinate to carry out the responsibility. This could include the power to access resources, make decisions, or direct others. Without sufficient authority, responsibility becomes a burden.
- Fixing Accountability: Finally, accountability is created. The subordinate is held answerable to the superior for the satisfactory performance of the work. This step ensures that the subordinate takes the responsibility seriously.
4. Why is delegation considered important for an organisation's success?
Delegation is crucial for organisational success for several reasons:
- Effective Management: It allows managers to focus on high-priority activities by entrusting routine tasks to subordinates.
- Employee Development: It provides subordinates with opportunities to learn new skills and develop their potential, preparing them for higher responsibilities.
- Motivation of Employees: Giving employees responsibility and authority acts as a powerful motivator, increasing their job satisfaction and commitment.
- Facilitation of Growth: Delegation helps in the expansion and diversification of an organisation by creating a trained and experienced workforce ready to take on new projects.
- Basis of Management Hierarchy: It establishes the superior-subordinate relationships that form the basis of the organisational structure.
5. What is the fundamental difference between delegation and decentralisation?
While both involve the downward transfer of authority, delegation and decentralisation are different concepts. Delegation is a process of sharing tasks and authority between a manager and their immediate subordinate, and it is essential for all organisations. In contrast, decentralisation is a broader, optional policy decision where authority is systematically dispersed to the lowest levels of management, increasing the role of subordinates in decision-making across the organisation.
6. Why can a manager delegate authority but not ultimate accountability?
A manager can delegate authority because it is the power to perform a task, which can be shared. However, accountability, which is the final answerability for the outcome, cannot be passed on. A manager is assigned a task by their own superior and is therefore accountable for its completion. While they can assign parts of that task to their subordinates (delegation), they remain ultimately responsible to their superior for whether the work is done correctly. The subordinate becomes accountable to the manager, but the manager's accountability to the organisation remains absolute.
7. What are some common barriers that prevent managers from delegating effectively?
Effective delegation can be hindered by barriers from both managers and subordinates. From the manager's side, common barriers include a fear of losing control, a lack of confidence in the subordinates' abilities, or the attitude that they can do the job better themselves. From the subordinate's side, they might hesitate due to a fear of criticism for making mistakes, a lack of resources or information to complete the task, or feeling overburdened with existing work.
