Which of the following is the first step in an effective and a successful delegation?

When it comes to business growth, know your employees. Choosing the right person for the project is the first step in delegation. In order to make this decision, you must know the skill level of each employee in your department. Which projects can they handle independently, or with a little guidance or access to additional resources? What are their interests? Employees tend to do well with projects that are both challenging and interesting.

Here are 7 Steps you can take for successful delegation to assist with your business growth

1 – Establish objectives

Clearly communicate your objectives to each employee involved in the project. Your objectives should be concrete, measurable, and concise. Write them down and review them yourself if necessary. Remember your role is to direct. Give your employees direction by letting them know precisely what is expected and what their role is in the process. Given this information, employees will work more independently.

2 – Give a deadline

Deadlines should be given for any project worth doing. Be specific, strict and realistic when establishing deadlines. Without deadlines, employees will not feel responsible for accomplishing the task. Projects with a deadline are seen as important.

3 – Develop a method of reporting

Establishing a reporting system will eliminate employees coming to you throughout the day for feedback. Decide the best method of reporting (meeting, e-mail, written report) and the time line (weekly, monthly, daily). It is important that each employee knows what information you want in the report.

4 – Focus on the results

Let go of the details. Empower your employees to take care of the day-to-day details. Let them know where your main concern lies with the final outcome.

5 – Keep a log of projects

It is important that you know which projects are taking place, who is responsible for each one and the status of each one. The easiest way to monitor this is by keeping a log. At a glance you will have valuable information and can follow-up accordingly. You can also ensure that employees are assigned work equally.

6 – Follow-up

Never assign a project and forget about it until the deadline. Always communicate with your employees and don’t forget to listen. Check in periodically to ensure the project is headed in the right direction.

7 – Rejoice and review

Once a project is finished, gather the team together for a moment to celebrate the success of the project. Demonstrate to the team how their work has affected the company/department. Discuss particular challenges faced during the course of the project and review the solutions used to overcome them. Recognise the team members for a job well done!

Delegation is more than just a way of getting people to do things for you. It is also a powerful leadership and mentoring tool.

When used properly, delegation enables you to increase productivity and profitability, improve morale and increase retention. Perhaps most important for overworked and overstressed CEOs and executives, it allows you to enjoy professional success and still have a personal life.

Achieving these results requires effective delegation, which involves six basic steps.

1. Prepare in advance

When it comes to delegation, the Nike approach (just do it) does not work. The more you prepare, the better your results.

Before delegating, take the time to think through the task and decide whom you will delegate to and the outcome you want. In addition, identify a goal and purpose for the delegation. For example, using delegation as a coaching tool is very different from trying to get a pile of work off your desk. Your goal will determine the approach you take.

2. Discuss the task to be delegated

Engage the employee in a specific conversation about the task you want to delegate, and then have them repeat back to you (in their own words) what they heard. Make sure both of you are in agreement regarding the task being delegated and the outcome you desire.

When preparing for this step, ask yourself questions such as:

• What needs to be done in a particular way?

• Where does the person have some creative freedom?
• What specific outcomes am I looking for?

• How likely is it that the person will succeed?

3. Identify the deadline for completion

This seems obvious, but managers often fail to clearly think through this step. Make sure your deadline is realistic and achievable, particularly when delegating a stretch goal or something the person has not done before.

If you think the employee might need some revision time, build it in up front so that you do not end up at the deadline with an outcome that is different from the one you wanted.

When setting the deadline, take into account where the delegated task fits in with the person’s existing job responsibilities. Ask yourself: what level of priority does this task have in relation to other tasks that have already been delegated to the person?

This is particularly important when cross-delegating between departments, where it is essential to establish priorities and make sure that all managers are in alignment with those priorities.

Also, think about the person’s chances of success. Is the employee likely to get the task done in the period you have set? If not, what modifications to the deadline are you prepared to make?

If the deadline is inflexible, you may need to choose someone who has a lighter workload or someone you know will get the job done. Alternatively, you may choose to split the task between two people. The key is to delegate according to the flexibility of your deadline.

4. Outline the level of authority

Clearly outline the level of the authority you want the person to have. Then stand back and let them act. Different levels of authority include the following.

Recommend. Ask the person for a recommendation on a course of action, but you make the final decision. Use this level when:

• the risk associated with the task or project is high
• the person has little experience in the area
• you need options researched and a best course of action chosen
• you want to provide the person with a learning experience
• you want to gain buy-in.

Inform and initiate. The person will inform you before they take action. Use this level when:

• the risk associated with the task or project is moderate enough to allow some freedom and flexibility but you have some concerns about giving full authority
• the person has some experience in the area but you want to provide some coaching
• the person has succeeded at the “recommend” level and proved that they are ready for the next level.

The “inform and initiate” level is also good for projects that need to be completed over time so that you can check in on different phases, or when you want to broaden someone’s level of responsibility.

Act. The person has full authority to act on his or her own. Use this level when:

• the risk associated with the task or project is very low
• the employee has plenty of experience in the area
• the person has succeeded at the “inform and initiate” level and proved that they are ready for the next level.

If your primary goal is to get the job done, choose someone who already fits into the “act” level. To engage in coaching and development, select people in the first two levels.

5. Build in checkpoints or progress reports

At the beginning of the task or project, schedule a series of checkpoint meetings. Build them in early and close together at first, and then taper off as the person begins to master the task. During the checkpoint meetings:

• Review the work that has been accomplished to date and give feedback on how well it is meeting the criteria established in step two.
• Identify anything you would like the person to do differently. Ask them to repeat back your requested modifications to ensure that they understand.
• Ask the employee questions such as: Are you encountering any problems? If so, what are you doing about them? Are you staying within your limits of authority? Are you on track to complete the task or project on time?
• Provide encouragement, coaching and feedback.
• Set the next checkpoint meeting based on how well they have performed to this point.

6. Conduct a final debriefing

The final debriefing consists of a two-way discussion about how the delegated task went. It allows you to:

• reinforce growth that has occurred
• outline areas for additional growth
• applaud success
• document performance problems
• provide real coaching.

Debriefing involves a mutual inquiry. Ask the employee how they think they did on the task or project, provide feedback on how you think they did, and discuss any differences in your assessments. Next, have the person provide feedback on your performance as a delegator, give your own assessment, and discuss any differences. Offer the person suggestions for improvement and listen to any they might have for you.

Delegating for results and personal growth

As a CEO or business leader, you should delegate about 90% of what comes across your desk, so that you focus on the strategic opportunities in front of the company. Using these steps will give you the tools and the confidence to delegate in a manner that achieves the results you want, while helping to grow your people and enabling you to become a more effective leader.

For more information, advice and guidance on developing delegation skills, contact me by email or call me on +44 (0)20 7099 2621.

Terry Irwin is a management consultant with international experience in strategy development, mentoring leadership, business turnarounds, venture capital, M&As and project management. He is a founder director of TCii Strategic and Management Consultants and has helped a broad portfolio of international clients to achieve profitable, sustainable business growth.

The above article is from TCii's library of best business practice snapshots.