5 steps to delegate Like a Pro

 Delegation is not a data dump of your entire unwanted, not hard to do, not so interesting tasks onto the head of another person. Rather, it is a carefully crafted process of defining what you want done, the specific end results you expect, and the process by which the other person can win at delivering it. To insure that the time you invest in delegating is well spent, use the following five steps process to delegate like a Pro.

The five steps to delegate like a Pro

 Step 1: Define the end results.

 One of the most obvious oversights that managers make is failing to provide clarity about the end results they expect. Before you have a sit-down with one of your staff members, clarify in your own mind the dimensions of the assignment to be carried out. Ask yourself : What are the specific conditions that, if met, will satisfy me ? It’s a common mistake to assume that these conditions are implicit and that you don’t need to make them explicit—you do. For example, say you are delegating a report to a subordinate :

Do you want your subordinate to do the research for the report and present you with his or her initial findings verbally or in writing before he or she creates the report ?

 Or…

 Do you want him or her to do the research for the report and then write up a first draft, which he or she then shows you?

 Or…

 Do you want your subordinate to do the research, write the report, and then oversee production and distribution of the report, just checking in with you from time to time to make sure he or she is on the right track?

 Step 2: Clarify the parameters.

 Depending on the importance of the item delegated, and the willingness and ability of the person being delegated to, the degree of control and influence you exercise will vary. There are three basic types of delegation each allowing the staff member a varying degree of authority. Decide ahead of time which type best fits the task you are turning over:

 Assignment: You tell the staff member what is to be done and how to do it.

 Involvement: You tell the staff member what is to be done and determine together how to do it.

Empowerment: You tell the staff member the result to be accomplished and let him or her decide how to do it.

 Hot Hint: It is important that you determine a time by which the delegated item will be completed. This can be wholly determined by you, by your staff, or by mutual agreement, depending on the degree of control and influence you have used in delegating this item.

 Step 3: Come to a mutual agreement.

 Once an item has been delegated, it’s important to give the other person an opportunity to obtain some ownership over it. People usually have one of four responses to a delegated item:

 • They accept the assignment, as is.

 • They refuse the assignment, flat out.

 • They accept the assignment, but want to negotiate the details of its delivery.

 • They accept the assignment, but with certain conditions attached.

 Don’t automatically assume a delegated item has been accepted, as is. Instead, come to a mutual agreement on who will do what by when, and negotiate the details of delivery at the start. Having this degree of clarity on the front end will save scads of time and frustration on the back.

Hot Hint: When a staff member declines find out the reason(s) why. Is it a concern they have about himself or herself, you, or the assignment itself ?

 Step 4: Follow through and provide support.

 Delegate, don’t abdicate. When you transfer an item to a staff member, the responsibility for its completion still rests in your hands. To chart your staff’s progress:

 • Ask, “How is it going?”

 • Set milestone meetings to review and discuss progress.

 • Check in on quality control from time to time.

 • Keep a visual display (charts and graphs) of the results produced.

 • Ask staff members to occasionally account for their progress and problems.

 • Be available to answer questions and provide feedback.

 • Inform other people within the company of the staff member’s responsibility.

 • Periodically ask the staff member what support he or she needs from you.

 • Provide the staff person with any ongoing information or necessary updates.

Step 5: Evaluate the success of the delegation.

 It’s de-motivating to put time and effort into an assignment, and then not receive any response (let alone appreciation or acknowledgment) for what has been accomplished. The last step in delegating like a pro is to recognize the results of the delegation/determine areas for improvement. This includes:

 • Identifying the learning, growth, and development that occurred.

 • Rewarding and/or thanking staff for their efforts and the results produced.

 • Highlighting aspects of the job that could be improved in the future.

 • Determining areas where your delegation skills could be improved in the future.

 By taking this last step, you will not only help add to your staff the feeling of a job well done, but you will increase their willingness to take on delegated items in the future