The Art of Delegation

It may seem peculiar to be talking about delegation of responsibilities in a high-tech world where old catch phrases such as "self-starter," "self-motivated," and "must be capable of working under loose supervision" often appear in the help wanted ads. But, it is because of this umbrella of "letting people run with the ball" that knowing how and what to delegate is so important.

Too often managers delegate the "wrong" activities. Too often managers have no interest in what they delegate and thereby lose control over the process or function that they are accountable for. If the manager is truly accountable for the outcome of others activities, then due care must be taken in how, what, and why activities, projects, processes, or functions are assigned.

In this article, I( have given advice to the reader on avoiding the pitfalls in delegation, guidance based upon years of experience during which I made some common mistakes -- once.

---

A 1993 article in Hresource, a publication of Talent Tree Personnel Services, listed the following items "that could be delegated to subordinates and make it easier on [you as] the manager":

1. Matters that keep repeating themselves.
2. Minor decisions most frequently made.
3. Details that take the biggest chunks of time.
4. Parts of the job the supervisor is least qualified to handle.
5. Job details that the superior most dislikes.
6. Parts of the job that make the superior overspecialized.
7. Parts of the job that make the superior under-specialized."

At the same time, the reader is admonished to "make sure the subordinate is given meaningful, challenging assignments and doesn't end up as a dumping ground for unwanted or distasteful tasks of the superior," (a sentence which is almost verbatim to what I said in an article in 1974, but we'll let that pass).

I've been around a long time, perhaps too long, but I've always instructed managers that to effectively delegate one must always delegate the tasks that he or she understands best and also likes most. If you assign tasks you don't like, then you will have lost control. What we like least we pay the least attention, and the subordinate may very well take some initiative and make decisions which are, not only contrary to our own best interests, but contrary to the best interests of the company and its clients or customers.

If you delegate things that you understand least, you will also lose control.

 

This article has been moved to the members only section of this web site.