Successful Delegation – Secrets of the Experts
Have you discovered the joys of delegating?
Delegation is one of the most important tools in the repertoire of the productive, but for many it is much easier said than done.
Whether you don’t delegate because you cannot bear to trust anyone else with an important task or because you hate asking for help, you need to change. Not only are you dooming yourself to reduced productivity, if you have staff, you’re preventing them from reaching their potential too.
Stop doubting yourself and your colleagues and start delegating successfully. Once you master it, you will never look back.
When delegating whether to a team member, contractor or anyone else, your most important tool is communication. Clarity is key. By conveying a clear message, clear instructions and clear responsibility for the task, you will greatly increase the chances of the task being completed correctly the first time.
Remember, the onus is on you to communicate clearly, not on the recipient to interpret instructions accurately.
Below, you’ll find a quick guide to delegating a task to complete a document or report. It should give you a better idea of how the process tends to work.
- Set a clear objective. What exactly needs to be done? Make sure to give enough information when handing the task over.
- Tell them what information you want.
- Communicate the required length of the report or document.
- Explain when you need the completed document.
- Specify the format you require the finished work to be presented in.
Everything must be communicated at this point. Of course, this means you will need to thoroughly analyse and identify your requirements before you even think of actually delegating.
- Set a deadline. Vague requests are no good to anyone, much less you. If you need a task to be completed by 3pm tomorrow, make that known. It’s not about being overbearing or bossy, it’s about keeping everyone properly informed.
- Allow enough time. In addition to setting a clear deadline, it is important to give the other person enough time to complete the task to the standard you require. Delegation doesn’t mean sending panicked emails when you’ve realised you don’t have time to complete the report that needs to be presented in 30 minutes!
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