Leadership Tips: Effective Delegation Process

Once a group or an individual makes a decision, the next step is to determine, “Who will do what, when, and to what standard?” Effective delegation is the process of sharing responsibility for results. Leaders determine the ultimate objectives to be met and the resources available, after which the team shares and collaborates on the plan of action. The following leadership tips will allow you to effectively delegate to your team and reach optimal results.

1. Identify the Need

Establish what you choose to delegate. Create a picture of what you want the outcome to be.

2. Select the Person

Identify to whom you will delegate and why you have chosen that person.

Steps 1 and 2 may be reversed depending on desired purpose of delegation.

3. Plan the Delegation

• Desired outcome:  What is the outcome to be accomplished in the scope of this delegation plan? Create a picture of what you want to the outcome to be.

• Current situation:  Determine the reality of the current situation. Where are you today? As a leader, you need to make a thorough estimate of the situation, both internally and externally, to obtain a clear understanding of the factors that might help or hinder your efforts and enable you to set realistic goals.

• Goals:  Define and set the goals. These realistic goals are checkpoints that create mutual expectations and form the basis for most important management decisions. Leaders know that without goals, people will be task-oriented rather than results-oriented. As a leader, you must set realistic, reasonable, challenging, and attainable goals and then separate those goals into bite-sized pieces, which may be assigned to individuals in line with their particular skills and abilities. This makes these goals less formidable and more achievable. When your team achieves day-to-day goals, you are closer to achieving intermediate and long-range goals.

4. Hold an Effective Delegation Meeting

During the meeting:

• Identify specific results to be achieved. Clearly identify what you want the final result to be.
• Outline the rules and limitations. Clearly state what aspects of a goal cannot change and are not negotiable.
• Review the performance standards. Set the performance standards with the individual and review the criteria for clarity and agreement.

5. Create a Plan of Action

The person who has been delegated the task should develop a plan of action that explains the steps that will be taken to accomplish the goal.

6. Review the Plan

Meet with the person who has been delegated the task to discuss the plan of action. Make any necessary adjustments until both parties are in agreement.

7. Implement the Plan

Plans are implemented when everyone understands their part in the total undertaking, commits themselves to the achievement of the results, and acts in a unified, concerted manner to put the plan into action.

8. Follow Up

Successful leaders follow up on previous goals established in the third step of delegation by maintaining an effective delegation follow-up process that demonstrates deviations from the expected goals. It is critical the delegator not become too involved in the specific details but concentrate on those factors that are critical to the success of the project so that corrective action can be taken and goals achieved.

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