What is delegation?
The division of work and assignment of decision-making authority to a person who answers to a leader or manager is referred to as delegation of authority.
It is an organizational technique in which management assigns each employee a portion of their workload. It entails providing people the obligation to complete the tasks assigned to them in the manner of their choosing.
They divide the associated amount of authority along with the matching quantity of responsibility. This makes sure that tasks may be finished effectively and that the person feels truly accountable for finishing them. On one level, delegation is simply breaking up work into manageable parts.
In its ideal form, delegation allows people to focus on the tasks for which they are most qualified. It enables people to put more of themselves into the task and enhance their competencies. Additionally, it frees up the manager to focus on other crucial tasks, some of which may be higher-level or more strategic.
So a delegation of authority involves more than just dividing up the task. It involves delegating authority, accountability, and decision-making. Shared authority includes delegation.
By empowering more workers to take responsibility for their work and actions, a delegation of authority can also increase productivity. Monitoring and micromanaging capable personnel require less time and effort. As a result, your staff becomes more competent in delivering higher performance.
Delegation is giving someone else the responsibility of carrying out specific tasks on your behalf and doing them well.
Elements of delegation
Responsibility
Assigning work to a person is considered to be taking responsibility. The subordinates are given specific responsibilities by the supervisors for carrying out certain tasks on their behalf. To finish the activity successfully, a person must use all of his physical and mental abilities. It should be highlighted that the management can only delegate responsibility in this situation; if a subordinate commits a foul, the manager will answer his superiors. As a result, responsibility is transferred.
Authority
The subordinate has been given certain authority to carry out the duty. Authority is the capacity for making choices. To give the subordinates the freedom to make decisions on their own and complete the assignment effectively, the management delegated authority in addition to responsibilities.
An amount of authority that is sufficient to carry out the obligation must be transferred for the authority to be equal to the responsibility. Along with this, the authority also increases as we move up the scalar chain.
Accountability
Accountability refers to determining whether or not subordinates are carrying out their duties as intended. Because Accountability cannot be assigned, the management alone will be held accountable for the task’s failure, not the subordinates. Accountability also goes up, so managers answer to their superiors, and subordinates answer to their managers.
As a result, to complete the mission, the manager gives his subordinate some authority and responsibility. However, the subordinate is only responsible to his immediate boss and not the manager’s management for the subordinate’s actions.
Barriers to delegation
Outlined are five disadvantages that might prevent you from reaching your delegation goals. To overcome these barriers, we must first identify them.
It Requires Mentoring & Time
We are constantly looking for methods to save time and be more productive since we all understand that time is money. The whispers in your head are telling you that you don’t have enough time to fully explain or teach your team members the necessary abilities for the task at hand. Good news: Delegating tasks results in time savings. Once they get it down, you may need to start by holding their hands and teaching them all the details so that you may concentrate your efforts on more crucial business objectives.
Control Loss
Admit it sometimes we’re all a few control freaks. Many business owners have a long history of using their talent and tenacity to achieve their goals. Even when business owners believe they can perform their duty more effectively, a leader micromanaging every aspect of the company will not make it successful. Offering planned accountability to your team members will help you overcome this and reduce your worry. In addition, you never know when one of your team members can come up with a fresh, more effective way to do the assignment!
Losing tasks you like or being forced to delegate yourself out of a job
Fear that you will train yourself out of a job is another obstacle business entrepreneurs may encounter. Or perhaps you have a regular chore that you like to do but that you delegated to a teammate. This is a fantastic issue to have! With fewer responsibilities, you can advance in your career, take on more difficult jobs, or devote more time to business development plans that you never had time for. The success of those you have coached will reward you as well.
Lack of Confidence/Trust in Your Team
Leaders who lack confidence or faith in their team members may find it difficult to assign responsibilities to them. Although it’s acceptable to have these emotions, you must go past them to successfully delegate. Set your team up for success by beginning small and taking calculated risks. Early successes will give you the confidence to delegate more and more, allowing you to progressively increase the difficulty of the duties given. Make sure you fully prepare your team; the better they are prepared, the less anxious you will be. Your squad may also lack self-assurance or be concerned that they won’t perform properly. You may instill confidence and trust side by side by taking baby steps together.
The Sign of Weakness is Asking for Help
Asking for assistance is difficult, and even though you might think it shows weakness, it shows confidence and strength. Being simply human, we are unable to accomplish anything on our own. Fear frequently feeds this anxiety: fear of going too far. fear of seeming overly dependent. aversion to imposition. Fear that if we admit to our struggles, people would see that we are not perfect after all. We find chances for collaboration that eventually allow us to be more successful ourselves when we help other people become more successful. Furthermore, didn’t you assemble a group of gifted individuals? Utilize their powers; you’ll be pleasantly surprised!
To combat the anxiety and uncertainty
You must set yourself up for success if you want to overcome the hesitation and worry that come with delegation. Define the tasks that need to be assigned. Which duties can the team’s other members handle? Determine the things that you alone must complete as well. Make sure to share the objectives and goals of each assignment with your team so they are aware of what is expected of them and how it fits into the bigger vision. Make sure to specify the timing of check-ins, milestones, and/or deadlines for their work. Be transparent in your communication, and make sure your staff knows they can come to you with any questions or for additional assistance.