How To Delegate Tasks

When you are at a managerial position, you often face a phase of delegating the task given to you. Being able to delegate successfully is one of the most sought-after qualities in a manager and should be cultivated if you want to go ahead in your career. Although you may be a “do it” yourself person, you need to learn the importance of delegation. It is not only needed in getting ahead in your professional life, but forms an important part of your personal life too. It helps you achieve leadership qualities. It is important for a manager to understand that he cannot do all the jobs himself and will have to let go of the “doing it myself” attitude. “Self-do” approach may give you satisfaction for a short period, but will evoke frustration and stress with time, as putting on too much pressure will take a toll on you eventually. Let us know how to delegate tasks successfully.

 

 

Determining the delegation task is as important as execution itself. If you are delegating a task for the first time, then instead of delegating a very important task, give an easy one. If it gets executed properly, you can go ahead with other important tasks. In case if it doesn’t get carried off well, it would be like an experimental test and you would know where you went wrong and next time, will refrain from repeating the mistake.

 

Choosing the right candidate, who can implement the task properly and give a good result, is a crucial part of delegation. Instead of going for favorites in the organization, choose a candidate you think can carry off the task well. However, make sure that the candidate you choose isn't already dumped with many other tasks. In this case, he or she will have to juggle many works and the chances of mistake will be more. Moreover, the candidate you choose should already know the modus operandi behind the task.

 

While delegating task, always check the language that you use with your junior. Your voice should be encouraging, motivating, and trusting. Don’t use sentences that say you are delegating task, but are not sure whether it would be performed well. Always trust your juniors and tell them that you think they are the best people to perform the job and you are sure they will not let you down. These words will encourage them to put it in their hundred percent and carry out the task perfectly.

 

By defining the responsibilities of an employee, you minimize the prospect of any doubt. Not only will he know the exact thing he or she has to perform, but will also avoid the possibility of his complaining about not having known it earlier. It clears the doubts and lets the employees know the exact requirement of the project. A clear-cut discussion saves time too, as then you will not have to explain every detail repeatedly.

 

Setting a time limit is important. Make sure that you set a time limit according to the work speed of the employee and not your own speed. You may be able to finish a task in three days, but that time limit may be very less for your juniors. They may get depressed and would hesitate to take on the next task. However, setting a very lenient time-period is also a strict no-no, as then the person will not take the situation seriously.

 

Instead of giving a task and forgetting about it, make sure you keep an eye on its progress. Keep a meeting every few days and discuss the progress of the project. Make sure that the employee is going in the right direction. However, hovering over the person every minute is not desirable. Keep a balance and inspect the work properly, as your job is to see that the work is being done effectively.