Many of us are inherently “I can do it all!” people. We often take on more than we should because we believe the job is best completed when done ourselves. However, that isn’t always the most efficient way to handle things, and there is great power to be found through delegation! If you recognize that you could possibly benefit from better delegating tasks to others at work and taking on less tasks yourself… we’ve got you covered!
How can I delegate tasks effectively?
The most important piece of effectively delegating tasks is to know what to delegate. Identify what others at work can do that doesn’t require your specific expertise. If you are not specifically needed for a task, it may be most effective to delegate it to someone else! Tasks that are repetitive, administrative, or lower in priority are often great options for delegating.
Once you do begin delegating tasks you’ve identified as “hands off”, you’ll be most effective if you select the right person to assign the task to! Select the right person for the task based on their skills and experience. Consider their strengths, development opportunities, and current workload.
Set clear expectations and communicate the task’s objectives, desired outcomes, deadlines, and any resources that will be available to support them. Offer support and guidance as needed, but avoid micromanaging. Check in on the progress, but again, avoid micromanaging and allow them to take ownership! Regular follow-ups will help ensure the task is on track without stifling anyone’s creativity or autonomy.
How do I better delegate tasks to boost productivity?
The greatest power of delegation is that it allows you to be more productive and enhances your time management. Delegating tasks allows you to focus on strategic decisions and higher-priority tasks while trusting other team members to work on day-to-day operations or routine responsibilities. In what other ways does delegation boost productivity?
- Work gets done faster and more efficiently
- Teams are more agile, and work gets done in less time
- It gives you more time to plan, make decisions, and work with clients
If you let go of some of the responsibility and delegate, the work will still get done, but not by you! Your productivity won’t be bogged down by administrative or routine tasks that can be handled by others. You’ll also reduce your risk of burnout if you share the workload.
Does delegation help empower my team?
In short, yes! Passing responsibilities on to others on the team will help them build their skills and their confidence. Delegation shows you trust the members of your team, which then boosts overall morale and team engagement. A boost in morale creates an environment that makes employees more motivated to perform well and take ownership of their work. Over time, this will lead to more capable, self-reliant employees/team members! It’s a domino effect of the best variety!
How can I promote collaboration and learning at work?
If you are delegating tasks to other individuals, you ARE encouraging collaboration and learning! Delegation requires employees to work together to achieve a common goal. It also provides an opportunity for employees to learn from each other and improve their own skill sets through this observation and learning. Employees will gain experience and knowledge when handling new responsibilities, and you can learn from the different approaches they take and others’ creativity.
Does delegation promote accountability?
Delegating tasks will promote accountability within the team because it effectively ensures that everyone understands their individual responsibilities and deadlines. Your employees will know that they are responsible for delivering their tasks, which will encourage them to manage their time better and work efficiently.
How do I identify who may make the best future team leader?
Delegating tasks effectively will help you identify who the future leaders are on the team and will allow you time to nurture them and their skills. Passing along challenging projects or tasks gives others a chance to develop important skills such as decision-making, problem-solving, and team management (further showing you how they do in these environments). As the leaders of the team become more versatile because of their increased responsibilities, the team as a whole becomes stronger. Employees who are rising to your challenges and completing their delegated tasks with efficiency will likely make great team leaders in the future.
Does delegation reduce stress and work overload?
Workloads can fluctuate, and effective delegation can help prevent stress and overload by dividing the responsibilities. Instead of one person carrying all the weight, delegation distributes the tasks across multiple people to create a more balanced workload. In an environment where tasks are normally delegated and split, everyone will perform at their best and have less risk of burnout.
We understand the idea of “giving someone else your work” isn’t always appealing, and/or doesn’t always feel like an easy thing to do. But we hope that after reading this, you’ve seen the positive influence and the power that delegation can have at work. There is nothing to be lost in trying to incorporate more task delegation into your routine at work, but if you’d like an expert’s help in making sure it runs smoothly, please reach out to info@sortedout.com. One of our productivity specialists would love to take a look at your team’s workload and decide how to best begin delegating tasks in a way that ensures success!
Looking forward to hearing from you,
Tonia
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