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The Manager and Delegation – Top Tips.

Management is about getting things done through our people – it’s not about doing everything yourself. However, too often managers believe ‘it’s quicker or if I do it myself’. The key issue here is if as a manager you don’t delegate effectively your staff will lose any sense of responsibility and initiative and will continually come to you to seek approval for their actions. Not only is this a disempowering approach, it actually creates extra work for you as a manager.
So how can you delegate effectively, empowering your staff?
1. First specify the desired results. Discuss what results/outcomes you expect. Be specific about quality, budgets and timing. Commit people to getting the results, but then let them determine the best way to achieve it for themselves.
2. Set guidelines. However, while you want people to determine the best way to achieve the desired results themselves, there will be some guidelines, policies and procedures that they need to adhere to. However, try and keep these to a minimum. Too many rules will stifle initiative.
3. Provide necessary resources. You shouldn’t set up the individual to fail. They need to have the appropriate financial, technical, people and organisational resource available to enable them to achieve the desired results. This also applies to their skills and capability; do they have the skills and experience to deliver the desired results?
4. Define accountability. It is vital to hold people to account for the desired results, via regular face to face ‘accountability’ sessions. At these meetings performance and progress can be reviewed and any issues identified and quickly resolved.
5. Be clear about consequences. People also need to know what the consequences for achievement or non-achievement of the desired results are.
Positive consequences might include recognition, reward advancement, greater responsibility etc. Whereas negative consequences may include reprimands, corrective actions or even discipline.

An effective manager should want their staff to show initiative and take responsibility and the above tips show how this can be achieved, which essentially covers what anyone needs to understand if they are to execute their role effectively.