Boost Your Delegation Skills: A 15-Step Guide for Managers

Déléguer le travail consiste à réattribuer aux autres membres de l’équipe les activités les mieux adaptées à leur flux de travail et leurs priorités. Si vous débutez dans la gestion d’équipe ou de projet, cette idée vous semble peut-être intimidante. Vous ne savez pas par où commencer ? N’ayez crainte ! Nous allons vous expliquer comment vous y prendre, en nous appuyant sur 10 conseils qui vous aideront à déléguer efficacement.

En tant que manager, vous avez également pour responsabilité de déléguer le travail. Non seulement cela vous libère du temps pour vous concentrer sur les tâches à forte valeur ajoutée, mais cela offre également une chance aux membres de votre équipe d’être impliqués dans des projets intéressants.

Pour les nouveaux managers, il n’est pas toujours facile de savoir quand et comment déléguer. Heureusement, vous pourrez développer cette compétence de leadership avec le temps. Dans cet article, vous découvrirez 10 conseils pour devenir un bon délégateur.

As a manager, delegation is one of the most critical skills you need to master But it’s not as simple as just assigning tasks and hoping for the best. Truly effective delegation requires an intentional, strategic approach

The benefits of improving your delegation abilities are immense Your team will be more productive, you’ll reduce overwhelm, and you’ll advance your own career by operating at a higher level

However, many leaders struggle to delegate properly. They may fail to find the right opportunities, select inappropriate tasks, micromanage teammates, omit important details, or simply feel uncomfortable giving up control.

When delegation is done haphazardly, the results suffer. Morale decreases, errors occur, progress stalls. That’s why deliberately developing your delegation skills is so essential as a manager.

In this comprehensive guide, we’ll explore a 15-step process to master delegation. Implement these strategies and techniques to distribute work successfully, inspire your team, and achieve shared goals.

1. Determine What to Delegate

Not all tasks are created equal – some require your expertise, while others can be delegated. So the first step is determining what work can (and should) be handed to others.

Ask yourself these key questions:

  • Is this task mission-critical?
  • Does it align with the teammate’s role?
  • Do they have the skills and bandwidth to take it on?
  • How time-sensitive or complex is it?
  • What level of authority is needed?

In general, delegate work that is more process-driven, recurring, or tactical in nature. Reserve high-level strategic tasks requiring extensive cross-collaboration for yourself.

2. Identify the Right Person

Once you’ve determined what can be delegated, next carefully select the right teammate to assign the work to. Match the task to the team member’s skills, experience level, capacity, and interests whenever possible.

Consider factors like:

  • Their proficiency with required skills
  • Bandwidth based on current workload
  • Desire to expand skills or responsibilities
  • Personality fit for the work type
  • Past performance on similar tasks

Taking the time to align work with the ideal resource will ensure high-quality outcomes.

3. Explain Why You’re Delegating

Don’t just randomly toss work to colleagues without context Explain the rationale behind your delegation decision to provide helpful perspective, For example

  • “I want to provide you with growth opportunities”
  • “I believe you have the right skills for this task”
  • “I’d like you to gain experience with XYZ”
  • “I think you’ll bring a fresh approach to this project”

Giving reasons builds trust, reinforces capabilities, and motivates teammates to embrace the delegated work.

4. Outline Clear Requirements

Set your teammate up for success by providing all the details required to complete the delegated work accurately and efficiently.

Be sure to communicate:

  • The objective and priorities
  • Processes to follow
  • Deadlines and timelines
  • Resources available
  • Budgets or other constraints
  • Standards for completion

Incomplete or blurry instructions will lead to confusion down the road. Give clear guidelines upfront to eliminate ambiguity.

5. Explain the “Why” Behind the Task

For complex or high-priority projects, also explain the broader purpose and impact of the work. How does it connect back to team, department, or company goals? What outcomes will result from doing an excellent job?

Sharing the “why” behind a task is incredibly empowering. It provides helpful context so teammates can think critically, problem-solve, and ensure the work meets business needs.

6. Confirm Understanding

Once you’ve communicated the ins and outs of an assignment, don’t just automatically assume your directions were absorbed. Seek confirmation that your teammate comprehends what you expect.

Some good questions to ask:

  • “Do these instructions make sense?”
  • “Do you feel you have all the information needed?”
  • “What questions, if any, do you have before getting started?”
  • “How will you approach getting this done?”

Probing for feedback uncovers gaps in understanding early on.

7. Set Checkpoints as Needed

Certain projects warrant setting periodic checkpoints to ensure everything stays on track. Checkpoints provide helpful milestones to keep progress moving while avoiding micromanagement.

Reasonable checkpoints might include:

  • Brief daily standups for real-time status
  • Weekly recaps of blockers
  • Mid-project demos for early feedback
  • 90% complete reviews before final submission

Scale checkpoints to the work complexity, timeline, and required level of supervision.

8. Make Yourself Available for Support

As you delegate work and relinquish control, you must also make yourself available to unblock roadblocks. Offer to lend expertise and guidance when required.

Be transparent about the best ways to reach you if necessary:

  • Online chat or instant message
  • Regularly scheduled 1:1s
  • Impromptu office visits
  • Email for non-urgent issues
  • Phone for urgent matters

Your colleagues shouldn’t hesitate to speak up when they hit a snag. Foster open lines of communication.

9. Avoid “Helicopter” Managing

While you want to provide a safety net, resist the urge to constantly hover and micromanage. Give space for teammates to work independently and approach tasks their way.

Signs of problematic “helicopter managing” include:

  • Standing over someone’s shoulder
  • Requiring step-by-step updates
  • Asking to review all work before completion
  • Redirecting at the first misstep
  • Excessive check-ins
  • Inability to let go

Disengage autopilot controlling habits. Focus energy on removing obstacles so your team can thrive.

10. Celebrate Successes Publicly

Publicly acknowledging teammates’ delegation successes supercharges motivation and confidence. Mention specific assignments that were executed particularly well in team meetings or presentations.

For exceptional work, go beyond verbal praise with:

  • Written thank you notes
  • Spot bonuses or rewards
  • Badges or gamification
  • Social media shoutouts
  • Peer recognition
  • Added responsibilities

Let your colleagues shine and reinforce excellent work fueled through effective delegation.

11. Provide Constructive Feedback

If delegated work misses the mark, have candid but compassionate conversations to realign expectations. Frame feedback constructively by:

  • Praising aspects done well
  • Asking the teammate for self-assessment first
  • Focusing on the work itself, not the person
  • Looking ahead to future improvements
  • Exploring mentoring or training opportunities

Never lay blame or shame. Feedback fuctions best when it supports growth.

12. Don’t Reassign Work Without Explanation

Nothing disempowers a teammate more than having a delegated task unexpectedly reassigned without reason. If you need to take work back or redelegate it, explain why transparently.

For example:

  • “I realize I provided insufficient instructions and that’s on me. Let me regroup on this.”
  • “We need to reschedule timelines due to shifting business priorities.”
  • “On second thought, Cassie may be better equipped for this project. I appreciate you getting it started.”

When there’s open communication, no one feels undermined if plans change.

13. Measure Team Performance Holistically

Judge delegation success based on the overall output of the team, not just individuals. Create a culture of shared purpose, not isolation.

Ways to gauge collective impact:

  • Team productivity
  • Adherence to budgets/timelines
  • Departmental goal achievement
  • Competencies gained
  • Customer satisfaction
  • Profitability contributed

Continuously reinforce interdependency and group accomplishments.

14. Link Delegation to Career Growth

Delegation, when done well, elevates your whole team’s capabilities over time. But it also builds leadership skills and frees up mental bandwidth for managers. Make sure to frame delegation as a tool for mutual growth.

Discuss how polishing delegation benefits:

  • Teammates gain new competencies
  • Managers develop coaching skills
  • Everyone can focus on meaningful work
  • You expand your management capacity
  • Collaboration and trust deepen

The more your team realizes delegation elevates everyone, the more they’ll embrace it.

15. Keep Practicing Consistently

Like any skill, excellent delegation improves with focused practice. But it requires vigilance to form new habits that replace old controlling tendencies.

Stick with these behaviors to master it:

  • Delegate something daily or weekly
  • Note what went well after each instance
  • Have teammates evaluate your delegation skills
  • Track metrics before and after delegating
  • Keep expanding types of tasks delegated
  • Exchange techniques with other managers

With consistency over time, delegation can transform from chore to competitive advantage.

Now Let Go and Delegate Confidently!

By implementing this robust 15-step delegation process, you can tap into your team’s full potential

how to improve delegation skills

Quand faut-il déléguer le travail ?

Impossible de décrire une situation lambda à l’occasion de laquelle il vous sera toujours utile de déléguer ! De manière générale, posez-vous les bonnes questions afin de déterminer s’il y a des avantages à confier un travail donné à un collègue.

Quelques questions à se poser avant de déléguer une tâche :

  • Cette tâche est-elle plus en phase avec les priorités d’un autre membre de l’équipe ?
  • Quelqu’un d’autre connaît-il le contexte et les informations nécessaires pour réaliser ce travail ?
  • Cette tâche donnerait-elle à un collègue l’opportunité de monter en compétences ?
  • Cette tâche sera-t-elle récurrente à l’avenir ?
  • Ai-je le temps de déléguer efficacement cette tâche, y compris de former l’autre personne, de répondre à ses questions et de vérifier son travail ?
  • Devrais-je personnellement prendre en charge ce travail (forte valeur ajoutée, essentiel à l’entreprise, etc.) ?
  • Son échec nuirait-il à la réussite du projet ?
  • A-t-on le temps de refaire le travail si nécessaire ?

Vous n’avez pas à répondre à toutes ces questions par l’affirmative pour déléguer le travail. Toutefois, le fait de vous les poser en amont vous aidera à identifier les tâches qu’il est préférable de confier à d’autres.

Déterminez les forces de chacun de vos collègues

Une partie du processus de délégation consiste à vous assurer que la personne à qui vous confiez le travail a les éléments nécessaires pour réussir. Une délégation efficace repose sur deux éléments : les membres de l’équipe à qui vous confiez le travail doivent avoir les compétences requises dans le domaine concerné et cette délégation doit leur offrir l’opportunité de monter en compétences.

Afin d’y parvenir, vous devez discerner clairement les forces de chacun des membres, mais aussi leurs centres d’intérêt. Lors de vos prochains entretiens individuels, prenez le temps de leur demander quelles compétences ils souhaitent améliorer, ainsi que celles qu’ils souhaitent acquérir.

Delegate Effectively (DELEGATION TIPS FOR SUCCESS)

How to delegate effectively?

Make sure that the person understands the extent to which you expect them to show initiative. Club members can find out more in our article Avoiding Micromanagement on how to delegate effectively and to get the best results. You can use proactive delegation as a tool to empower your team.

How can i Improve my delegation strategy?

You can improve your delegation strategy by establishing a task priority system with criteria that are specific to your department. You can then handle the most challenging and important tasks yourself and delegate the others according to each task’s difficulty and your employees’ experience, specialties and skills.

What are delegation skills?

Delegation skills describe your ability to assign tasks you’re accountable for to team members. They typically involve transferring a task’s responsibility to individuals you lead and directing them on the completion steps. Depending on the task involved and team members, delegation can take different forms, including:

What are the different types of delegation?

They typically involve transferring a task’s responsibility to individuals you lead and directing them on the completion steps. Depending on the task involved and team members, delegation can take different forms, including: Delegating by providing directions: involves instructing a team member on how to complete a task.

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