One of the most arduous transitions for Jahnvi to make is the shift from doing to leading. As a new manager, she can get away with holding on to work. Bosses and peers may even admire her willingness to roll up her sleeves to execute tactical projects. However, as her responsibilities were getting strenuous, the difference between a super-sized individual contributor and an effective leader was painfully evident.
It was then she decided to upskill herself and set sail to learn the says and nays of being a manager. So far, she has grasped knowledge about the requisites of becoming a first-time manager, her values, locus of control, setting goals and achieving them, her learnings from The Strangest Secret, how to handle the missed goals, an overview of feedback, the gateway to discovering the blind spot, frameworks of feedback, the concepts of feedforward, the overview of the interpersonal skills, the techniques to enhance interpersonal skills, better team management using people reading guide, techniques to effectively manage a team, an overview of time management, the time management matrix, and the techniques to manage time effectively.
At first, she thought it would be easier to be a maverick than to hand over the torchlight. Slowly and gradually, the work was getting piled up at her desk and she was perplexed by the situation. Her boss was noticing her fumbles and one day he had a conversation with her. He told her that she can be eccentric and smart at the same time by relying on her team. There is no need for her to perform every minor assignment on her to-do list.
Her boss brought a study to the table to make her realize the kind of storm she was heading to. “Managers are 27% more likely than individual contributors to strongly agree they felt a lot of stress during their most recent workday, according to Gallup research.”
Preventing burnout is a huge concern, however, one high-yield strategy for prioritizing responsibilities and replenishing energy is one that many managers struggle with delegating.
“If you want to do a few small things right, do them yourself. If you want to do great things and make a big impact, learn to delegate.”
– John C. Maxwell
As the title of Marshall Goldsmith’s best-selling book suggests, “What got you here won’t get you there.” The skills required to be a people developer differ from those required to be a high achiever (and so promoted to management). In fact, they may be the very skills that are causing you to do everything on your own. High performers take satisfaction in providing good work, and previous performance evaluations confirm the headline: You are a superstar. It should come as no surprise, then, that managers struggle to entrust their team with chances to take the game-winning shot.
It made Jahnvi realize that she finds it more comforting to do everything on her own and that certainly wears her out. It made her more inclined toward understanding the depths of the art of delegation.
What Is Delegation?
Delegation occurs in management when a manager entrusts their responsibilities to their team members to perform. Managers free up time to focus on higher-value operations by delegating specific responsibilities to team members, while also keeping staff motivated with increased autonomy.
Effective delegation is a vital leadership behavior that begins with recognizing the distinction between delegating and assigning. Most managers believe when they transfer a task to someone else, they think they are delegating when they are actually assigning. Delegating is when managers entrust their team members with their set of responsibilities. Managers must train their team in a way that they perform the tasks as well or better than them.
It might help to spread out the burden and keep their team members performing at their best while also putting their individual strengths and skills to use. It is all about assigning the proper duties to the best person for the job.
According to Gallup research, CEOs who thrive at delegating make 33% more income. These CEOs recognize that they cannot accomplish everything alone and position their team to tackle projects that they are confident they will complete, so empowering staff, raising morale, and increasing productivity. In the process, CEOs free up time to focus on operations that will provide the highest returns and help the firm develop.
Payoffs Of Delegation
“Delegation can also be a clear sign that you respect your subordinates’ abilities and that you trust their discretion. Employees who feel that they are trusted and respected tend to have a higher level of commitment to their work, their organization, and, especially, their managers.”
– Dr. Scott Williams
When Jahnvi ascertained the results of delegations, she understood the eloquence of using the adequate inner power of each team member. She thought if she focuses on developing conditions to utilize the uniqueness of her team members, then she will be able to empower her team successfully. She agreed to the fact that she can’t be everywhere at once and delegation will help her finish the tasks at their respective deadlines.
According to Harvard Business Review research, delegation can really boost an organization’s income and overall efficiency. It made Jahnvi sway in the direction to learn about the benefits of delegation.
It frees up time
Delegating helps you to think more strategically rather than just being in the execution mode. A manager can split and distribute work to their team through delegation. It reduces the workload, allowing them to focus on more intrinsic areas. They can amplify the efficiency of their work and enable them to demonstrate their capability and expertise to the best. It is critical not only because it relieves the management of overburden, but also because each employee possesses a unique set of abilities, knowledge, and skills. Delegating the proper tasks to the right person can greatly expedite development in addition to radically minimizing the risk of failure.
It empowers the team
The question arises whether the team is empowered enough to make the course correct. Many managers aim to empower their people by distributing responsibility and decision-making, sharing information, and soliciting feedback. An empowering leader is far more effective than routine task performance at influencing employee creativity and citizenship behavior (i.e., behavior that is not formally acknowledged or rewarded, such as helping coworkers or attending work functions that are not necessary). They are more likely to be trusted by their subordinates because they empower their workforce. Also, their teams have a greater impact on employee performance and have a more positive impact on employees with less experience working in their firms.
It enhances team spirit
In an organization, delegation is the foundation upon which the superior-subordinate relationship is built. When team members have authority and responsibility, they are inspired to do their best. They put in a lot more effort and are often more cautious and careful in their work. It results in subservient motivation. Employees’ attitudes and perspectives regarding their jobs improve.
It established hierarchy
It creates a framework within the organization, which is required to establish power and a system of accountability. Team members are more inclined to do tasks to the best of their abilities if they sense they have someone to answer to other than their busy owner/manager. This authority extends from top to bottom, encouraging results-driven relationships and forming an extremely efficient organization.
It facilitates periodic reviews
An employee periodic review is a formal evaluation of an employee’s way of working, productivity, manner, and impact on other employees. Each periodic evaluation focuses on an employee’s behavior throughout a certain time period for the work delegated to them. Were they effective enough to carry on the task and what is their consistency in the long run? The appropriate frequency of reviews should enable the employee to feel at ease in their role while also focusing on long-term performance.
It enhances development
It serves as a training ground for managerial advancement. It gives team members the opportunity to learn, advance, and create new talents and expertise. It creates a pool of professionals that can be called upon as needed. It creates managers rather than merely delivering tasks.
Jahnvi found the perfect solution to distribute the workload among her team as it may allow her a breather from all the work pressure. She can allocate some work to her team and it is also a great approach to make her team future-ready.
What Are The Elements Of Delegation?
When it comes to delegating responsibilities among the team, it consists of three elements –
Authority
It refers to a manager’s authority to direct employees to accomplish specific tasks within the area of their team’s purview. It signifies that the management has power over the subordinate. Managers must utilize their authority before allocating assignments to assess the skills of their team members and be aware that some team members may require training. As an authoritative person, you must also act as a leader and refrain from micromanaging.
Responsibility
This is the obligation a subordinate has to satisfactorily execute the tasks entrusted to them. A management figure is putting their trust in a subordinate to execute responsibilities effectively.
Accountability
In order for delegation to be successful, team members must be held accountable for the tasks assigned to them. Team members should give supervisors updates on their workflow. Managers must also be held accountable for the direction they provide; managers cannot expect their people to succeed if directions are vague.
Types Of Tasks To Be Delegated
A manager should be aware of the tasks that need to be delegated. There are three types of tasks that can be delegated among the team members.
Tedious tasks
Everything you and your team members accomplish is critical to the overall success of the organization. Supply purchasing, data input, file management, secretarial work, and other administrative chores, on the other hand, aren’t what fuels your company’s growth. These are often easy tasks that don’t take much experience, and while you could easily accomplish them yourself, outsourcing them to your employees will save you time.
“Part of my job as a manager is to make sure the workload is distributed evenly so that we can deliver results on time,” said Dan Westmoreland, former Deputy director of inbound marketing. “The No. 1 delegation mistake managers make is not delegating enough.”
However, he added, this does not apply to more complex, role-specific tasks such as hiring new employees or managing financial affairs. Delegation is the key to saving time for other crucial responsibilities.
Tasks that lower your energy level
You probably had specific tasks that you weren’t driven to perform when you were at a lower level than you are today. You can now delegate those tasks to your team because you’ve paid your dues.
You also don’t want your personnel to be exhausted. While you may delegate some of these tasks to your employees to relieve your mental and emotional strain, ensure you aren’t simply passing on the stress to them.
“If you’re not sure who to delegate the task to, present it to a group of your coworkers and openly ask who might be the best to handle it,” Westmoreland said. Every employee has unique interests; what is difficult for one person may be easy for another.
Tasks anyone else can do better than you
Being a leader does not automatically qualify you for a project. Your coworkers have their own talents, some of which can fill in the holes you leave, therefore you must be modest enough to recognize and confess when someone else is a better fit for a task than you are.
“Your job as a manager is to develop people,” Westmoreland explained. “Delegation is the process of bringing out the best in the people you have.” Each employee has a distinct skill set, personality, and set of strengths. Making excellent use of their distinct working personalities can increase overall efficiency, and people flourish at jobs they enjoy.
Jahnvi understood that if she delegates properly based on these three types of tasks, then there is a fair chance for her to focus on higher-priority tasks and she will be able to help her team excel at work doing what they enjoy.
Jahnvi found it relatable when it came to resisting delegation, as she used to get insecure about the process or she thought she could be quick to do the job herself. However, it can be hazardous in the long run, and passing the buck is better to raise competency levels along the way. She wants her team to be more involved in the processes as they can multitask to shake things up in their daily routine. It may bring a feeling of pride and accomplishment when they contribute to the success of their team and organization.
She is determined to refrain from using the sentence, “It will be easier if I do it myself.” Her role is bigger than completing tasks as she is now responsible to teach, coach, and lead her team.
In the next article, she will unlock the myths around delegation and effectively delegate tasks among the team members.
https://readytrainingonline.com/articles/art-delegation-managers/
https://universalteacher.com/1/importance-of-delegation/
https://www.businessballs.com/team-management/delegation/
https://hbr.org/2017/10/to-be-a-great-leader-you-have-to-learn-how-to-delegate-well
https://online.hbs.edu/blog/post/how-to-delegate-effectively
https://www.betterup.com/blog/delegation-of-authority
https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/giving-performance-feedback
https://hbr.org/2018/03/when-empowering-employees-works-and-when-it-doesnt
https://www.linkedin.com/advice/3/what-challenges-risks-delegation-empowerment
Written By: Jimmy Jain
Edited By: Afreen Fatima
Society of Design Thinking Professionals
