If you want something done, do it yourself. Even though they think their work is going well, at some point the people with this attitude are heading to run out of steam. Beyond that point, their output will go down and their stress level will go up. As a result, their staff’s skills and abilities will not be given the attention they deserve. In a nutshell, not delegating is not managing well. If you want to use delegation as a good way of running your business, think about these tips.
1. Be aware of how much you delegate.
Have you really thought about which of your tasks you can give to your subordinates to do? It’s important to think about what you do for a few days or weeks before you do it. You can only do certain things. People could do a lot of different things. Then, who could do them? They might need to be trained. Sometimes your subordinates are better qualified to answer these questions than you are. A lot of your own work can be given to someone else.
2. Don’t put off projects.
We all have tasks that we put off or don’t do for some reason, but they won’t go away. At some point, they must be done. Learn to let other people do things that aren’t your job so that you can get on with other projects.
3. Don’t start taking your work home.
All tasks have times when they have a lot of extra work and you have to work at home to finish it. But, if you keep taking work home, you need to think about how well you are delegating.
4. Make sure you get your fair share of time off.
Those managers who are good at their jobs can keep up a fast pace at work, but they set aside time to relax from time to time. It may be time to give some of your work to someone else.
5. Don’t try comparing your own performance to that of other people!
Perhaps you don’t give staff assignments because you don’t trust their work, or because you think you could do better. Or you might be afraid that your subordinate will do too well and make you look bad as a delegator. As one writer has said, “If you work for a company where you can delegate yourself out of a job, it’s the best thing that could happen to you! It’s the best thing that could happen to you.”
6. Pay attention to the development of your staff, as well
Staff may not want to do some tasks that have been delegated if they think they don’t have the skills to do them. Perhaps the same reason is why you aren’t sure. You should take the lead and set up a program for your employees if they aren’t taking charge of their own skills development, so you can do it for them.
7. Accept that there are other ways to do things.
When you give a task to someone else, you want them to do it the way you want them to. It will be hard to delegate until you understand that there isn’t always one best way to do something. Focus on the end, not the process.
8. Always be ready to give advice.
Employees will feel safe if you make it clear that you are always there to help and support them if they need it. But don’t try to be too helpful. Instead, train yourself to ask employees well-focused questions about any problems they have with your company. Most of the time, you should not accept the task back or give a simple answer. Taking away the chance for the staff member to grow is a bad thing to do.
9. If you have to, talk to them.
If you see that a delegated task is going to fail, you need to help. In this case, Dana and Nani say to do this:
Call a meeting, put your cards on the table, ask questions, and listen to what the person says. Provide clear guidance and help, as well as encouragement and support. In this part, it’s hard to let the person go on. Unless the problem is really bad, don’t try to take the project away from the person and do it yourself.
10. Make sure your staff has good relationships.
Cooperation is the key to running a successful business; where this cooperation is present, employees will be eager to get involved even more. You will find that your employees will be more willing to take on “delegated responsibilities” if you work to build a healthy work environment.
Remember!
Make sure you know how much responsibility each member of your team can handle by getting to know them well enough.
Importantly, don’t just hire good workers. Some talented people who want to be famous are naturally quiet, so they don’t seek attention elsewhere. Because many women aren’t assertive, their accomplishments go unnoticed. Their bosses don’t see it.
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