10.1 THE SKILLS YOU NEED TO BE A GREAT BOSS: How Well Do You Delegate?

(SHORT NOTES FROM TEAM MANAGEMENT: Delegating Effectively at http://www.mindtools.com)

 

Business organizations and teams exist for one reason only: to do jobs that are too large, too complex or too fast-changing for any one individual to do on his or her own.  Assigning work to others is an integral part of getting things done efficiently, however many people feel uncomfortable with delegating.  When you don't delegate you risk ending up with too much work, not enough time, and lots of undue stress.  The belief that you can do it better and faster with fewer mistakes leads to a vicious cycle of too little time and too much to do.  On the other hand, when you delegate, you risk not having the job done properly.

DELEGATE

What and When to Delegate ·        deciding what to can delegate and when ·        points to consider o   enough time to delegate o   able to give sufficient instruction and support as necessary o   enough time to make corrections if needed o   someone is available to do the task o   have people with the necessary skills and expertise o   delegate even more of your lower level work

To Whom to Delegate ·        takes thought and consideration ·        issues when deciding o   Delegate to people who report to you o   If you need to go outside your team, include the other person's manager o   Open communication is important when delegating across functional areas or through different levels of an organization o   Consider staff commitment o   Gain their cooperation and support o   Make them feel more involved and more committed to the results o   think about how many people should be involved and what skills you need

How to Delegate ·        requires crystal clear communication ·        people must know precisely what is expected of them ·        It also requires letting go ·        key things to consider o   tell what need to be accomplished and why it's important o   connect the task to organizational goals o   Plan how to ensure the work is being completed according to plan o   establish checkpoints at the end of project stages o   Manage the risk of mistakes occurring o   Focus on the end result o   allow him or her to determine how best to achieve it o   provide the required support and authority o   Make sure the person understands whether independent initiative is mandatory o   inform the consequences of both successful and unsuccessful results o   inform rewards that can be expect