If the definition of management “obtaining results through others” is true, then those who do not delegate are not an efficient manager.
Delegating is an art and a science. I have been working as a manager in various roles for many years now and what allows me to achieve the results my bosses expect is the work other people do for me.
I experienced my first delegation experiences as "project manager". When you are a project manager you are in a situation where you have no hierarchical power about the people you have to manage, but you have a responsibility for the work these people do. It is probably one of the most "tricky" situations to put it in English. That is one of those situations in which it is very easy for something to go wrong.
As a project manager you do not have the leverage towards collaborators given by the year-end evaluation or similar, but you have to create a relationship of mutual esteem and a harmony of views on the activities that need to be carried out. Being able to create this type of relationship with your collaborators is also essential for effective delegation even in the presence of a hierarchical relationship.
Most activities can be delegated, whether they are limited or relevant, simple or complex. It is essential that the delegation process is conducted correctly: an ineffective delegation leads to a high degree of managerial stress, demotivation of the staff, overlapping of roles.
Delegating isn't just about giving people things to do. Tasks are the simple, short-term activities that need to be done. As a manager, you probably ask your staff to do tasks almost every day, but it is important to understand that this is not really delegation.
Myths to dispel
It is not true that by delegating you lose control over things, you only lose the burden of having to do everything yourself;
- The delegation allows everyone to fully exercise their creativity
- The delegation favors the development of skills and the motivation of people
Advantages of delegation
The delegation, through participation in the achievement of corporate objectives, makes the job satisfying;
Frees up the manager's time who can devote himself to other activities;
Extends the manager's results;
Develop the employee's initiative, skills and competences by preparing them for future promotions;
It pushes decision-making power down where knowledge of facts is found. "It is a mistake to think that decisions made at a high level are necessarily the best!" As Drucker notes: Decisions should be made at the lowest management level possible
Delegation process
The process of delegation is to be understood as the process by which a person temporarily assigns to another person the discretionary authority necessary to achieve objectives and / or perform certain tasks.
Activity performed by the delegator (underlined)
Activities to be carried out jointly (NOT underlined)
Definition of the tasks to be delegated choice of candidate (psychological profile and skills) sharing general purposes and specific objectives (contents, metrics, power limits) negotiation of: resources - timing definition of criteria and methods for control and verification (methods, items, frequency) formalization of the delegation
Sometimes managers tend to keep some activities to themselves that could be delegated; here are the most common reasons:
- Personal inexperience;
- Predilection for operational aspects;
- Fear of taking responsibility for employee mistakes;
- Inability to admit mistakes
- Exaggerated and misunderstood sense of perfection;
- Fear that the employee is better;
- Fear that by delegating too much, the manager will not have enough work left;
- Fear of not getting personal credit for team work;
- Inability or laziness in explaining goals and tasks;
- Lack of will to develop their collaborators and lack of interest in their career;
- Inability to establish the necessary controls with the delegate;
- Low esteem of its collaborators
Sometimes, however, the resistance to the delegation is found on the side of the person receiving the delegation for:
- Lack of experience and competence;
- Desire to avoid taking responsibility;
- Excessive dependence on the boss;
- Work overload or lack of organization;
- Taste of detail;
Finally, even particular company conditions can hinder the delegation:
- Self-centered management;
- Widespread intolerance for errors; excess of criticism;
- Urgency at the expense of the time needed to delegate;
- Lack of a clear definition of responsibility;
- Shortage of staff in the department or company;
Definition
By delegation we can mean the process by which a subject, the delegator, confers on another, the delegate, the task of performing a service that falls within the responsibility of the other. The salient aspects of this process are:
1. The task that the delegator assigns to the delegate.
2. The authority which must be granted by the delegator to the delegate, necessary for the use of resources and for the adoption of the actions, necessary or available, for the performance of the task.
3. The duty of the delegate towards the delegator: duty relationship of the delegate towards the delegator.
Conditions for the Delegation
Effective delegation must meet particular conditions such as:
to. Goal setting
The delegate must have the utmost clarity on what he is required to do.
b. Choice of delegate
The delegate must be capable and competent, that is, have the specialized skills and operational ability necessary to carry out the task. It must be willing to accept the delegation, and able to accept it depending on your workload.
c. Rational distribution of proxies
The natural impulse is inevitably to charge the most capable.
d. Acceptance, Participation, Sharing
There is a need for the delegate to be animated by the desire to carry out the task received with the greatest possible enthusiasm.
And. Extent of the Delegation
An extreme is that in which the delegation is represented by the single executive order, denying the delegate the use, even if minimal, of initiative. The other extreme is that in which the delegation is represented by a very broad directive, which may possibly also concern activities not necessarily included in the capacity of the delegate.
f. Constant connection
The connection must simply ensure control of the operating dynamics, so that any deviations are not highlighted too late.
g. Initiative of the delegate
The worst enemy of effective delegation is the temptation to interfere.
h. Acceptance of the Delegate's Work
The revocation of the proxy is preferable rather than a continuous review of the work of others.
Quote from (Dubla, 2000)