Defining Delegation
What does delegation really mean? Is it merely assigning tasks to someone else because you’d rather not do them? Or is it about passing off work when you’re busy, only to reclaim it later when you have more time?
A common definition of delegation is the process of granting power and authority to someone acting on your behalf. While this may sound a bit abstract, it effectively captures the essence of delegation. Another perspective on delegation is accomplishing your tasks through others.
Delegation goes beyond just handing out assignments; it also involves investing in a person’s growth and helping them enhance their skills:
In its broadest sense, delegation encompasses five key elements:
- Training and Development: Fostering the growth of your team members.
- Direction and Follow-Up: Providing guidance on assignments and checking in on progress.
- Performance Analysis: Evaluating any issues related to performance.
- Coaching: Assisting individuals in overcoming challenges.
- Formal Evaluations: Conducting periodic assessments of performance.
Four Basic Steps to Delegation
- Prepare to delegate
- Delegating tasks to team members
- Monitoring the delegated work
- Evaluating the delegation
Deciding What to Delegate
Part of preparing to delegate is deciding what tasks you can and cannot delegate. Tasks can generally be placed in one of five categories:
- You must do.
- You should do, but someone else could help you.
- You could do, but other could do if given an opportunity.
- Others should do, but you can help out in an emergency.
- Others must do.
The Five Levels
Delegation doesn’t have to be all or nothing. In fact, you should consider what level of delegation is appropriate for the task, the employee, and the situation.
Understanding the Delegation Model
Imagine we need an employee to prepare a summary report of their work over the past year for the executive team. Let’s explore how each level of delegation would function in this scenario.
Level One: At this initial level, the employee performs the task exactly as instructed, with no room for independence. For our example, you might provide them with a report template, relevant data, and examples of similar reports. They would then be responsible for completing the report and submitting it by a specified deadline.
Level Two: Here, the employee is allowed to conduct some research if necessary and present you with options for the task. You would make the final decision, and they would complete the task according to your guidelines. In this case, the employee might explore different report formats and propose various options, along with a draft of items to include in the report. You would then outline the format and content, and they would finalize the report for submission by the deadline.
Level Three: This level is akin to the second, but the employee is expected to make a recommendation. Continuing with the report example, the employee would suggest a format and potentially draft an outline. You would review and approve their suggestions before they complete and submit the report.
Level Four: Independence is emphasized at this level, which will be utilized frequently as team members become more proficient. In our example, you would simply ask the employee to complete the report and submit it by a designated date. While they may refer to existing procedures or templates, most decisions regarding the report would be theirs. You would review and approve the final version before it is sent to the executive team.
Level Five: This level grants the employee complete autonomy. In this scenario, you would instruct the employee to prepare the report and directly submit it to the executive team. While you might request a copy for your records, you would not have an active role in the report’s creation.
