7 Effective Delegation Steps

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1. 1) Select People for the Job. …
2. 2) Match the Person to the Task. …
3. 3) Define Project Tasks and Communicate them Clearly. …
4. 4) Track Progress, Give Feedback and Help People Solve Problems. …
5. 5) Allow for Creativity and Variations in Work Style. …
6. 6) Provide Incentives and Show Appreciation.

The Nine Steps of Delegation

Steps in the delegation process

For successful delegation, follow these seven steps:

1. Prepare to delegate

Assess the task you wish to delegate by clearly defining its objectives and expectations. Ask yourself the following questions to specify your goals:

By answering the questions above, you can develop a solid explanation of your goals, provide an actionable checklist of how to complete them and support your team toward success.

2. Assign the task

Using your goal analysis as a guide to your expectations, determine the best individual or team for the job. The following metrics may help you decide:

3. Confirm understanding

Clearly communicate the tasks objectives and expectations to the employee or team that is taking responsibility for the project. To confirm theyre ready to begin work, consider repeating the instructions in an actionable fashion.

Heres an example of confirming understanding in practice:

Marie is a manager at a public library. She needs to catalog a large inventory of new books by the end of the day on Friday. She delegates this task to two available employees who have experience with cataloging and who enjoy sorting through new inventory.

Marie lets them know the deadline for the project, then politely repeats the deadline by asking them to write it on their calendars. She provides an estimate for how many hours the project should take and suggests working on it for a minimum of two hours per day. To confirm the timeframe and deadline, she asks what time they plan to work on the project the next day.

4. Support success with SMART goals

Establish specific, actionable goals to help you track your employees progress. For both large and small projects you delegate, this provides a clear path toward success. Heres what SMART goals look like during the delegation process:

5. Establish commitment

Schedule a follow-up meeting with your employee or team to confirm their commitment to the task. This can be a great chance to show how the project is important, how it might help them advance their skills and whats exciting about the upcoming work.

Here are a few simple questions you can ask to secure the commitment of your employee:

These questions can elevate an employees interest in the project and emphasize professional growth.

6. Ensure accountability

Maintain leadership responsibility by providing sufficient support and ensuring your team has the tools they need to succeed. Heres how to enhance accountability for delegated work:

7. Provide incentive for success

Reward those who do well. By emphasizing development and showing people in training how to improve, you can help foster professional confidence in your team, improve productivity and show employees theyre appreciated.

Heres how you can encourage your team toward consistent success with delegated tasks:

What is delegation?

Delegation is the practice of assigning one persons tasks to another. Managers, supervisors and other leaders typically delegate tasks to heighten efficiency, handle time management and provide training for staff. Effective delegating can:

What is reverse delegating?

When employees ask a manager to take back a task theyve delegated, its sometimes called reverse delegating. Its helpful to approach reverse delegation with a growth mindset and treat it as an opportunity for project-based training. Heres how to reframe a delegated task to avoid reverse delegation:

FAQ

What are the 5 stages of delegation?

• Select the Right Person. Match personnel skills and abilities with the task based on aptitude, not simply on convenience.
• Specify the Desired Result. …
• Set a Deadline. …
• Determine Authority. …
• Track Progress and Results.

What are the steps of delegation?

1. Prepare. …
2. Assign. …
3. Confirm understanding. …
4. Confirm commitment. …
5. Avoid “reverse delegating” …
6. Ensure Accountability.

What are the 8 delegation steps?

• Pick the right person. …
• Clearly communicate how much autonomy the person has. …
• Describe the desired results in detail. …
• Provide the necessary resources. …
• Establish checkpoints and milestones. …
• Encourage people to try new and creative methods for pursuing the goal.

What are the 3 steps in delegation?

1. Step 1: Context. Explain to the person you are delegating to the larger context. …
2. Step 2: Content. Tell them the specifics of what you need done. …
3. Step 3: Connection.