Delegation is a simple phenomenon. It means that a manager or leader breaks down a big work project into smaller parts and divides it among various individuals. The supervisor maintains control while the subordinates enjoy some authority, too. This simple concept of delegating leadership has great benefits if done the right way. Keep reading to find out all about it!
Why You Should Start Delegating Leadership
The main question is, why bother with delegating leadership at all? Why should you replace your years-old system with this new one? Well, grab a snack because the list is long.
1. Time-Efficient
It’s pretty self-explanatory how delegating leadership saves so much time. The real deal is that you can utilize this saved time for so many other important tasks. As a leader or manager, you always need more time. Delegating is the magic to get that wish granted! A lot of things can save you time, but with delegation you get enough control to keep an eye on the delegated work or project. This gives you room to allow multiple projects to go on at once without having to compromise your attention on any one of them. Simultaneously, you can work on things that are of higher importance and cannot be delegated. In the longer run, the simple idea of delegating leadership brings immense economic benefits to the organization simply because time is managed more efficiently.
2. Empowers Employees
Do you know what the difference between a highly successful organization and a struggling organization is? It is not the size of the business or the effectiveness of the employees. Instead, it is the organization’s treatment of employees. Treatment in this context doesn’t mean employee benefits and relationships. It refers to employee empowerment. Look at it this way: There’s one extremely genius individual, but since s/he isn’t the one with the highest authority in a work environment, her/his abilities are restricted. S/he is always told how and what to do. One day, their superiors let them take control by delegating responsibilities. They relay what final output they are expecting, and the rest is on the employee. This empowerment will put the responsibility on the individual’s shoulders, and, as a result, this person will put in more effort and productivity than normal. This empowering attitude of the organization makes subordinates feel like they are in control, which encourages healthy self-sufficiency. No organization can be successful without this approach.
3. More Skills for Everyone
Think of one skill that you think you are great at. Were you always an expert in this skill? More than likely, it took you practice, a lot of mistakes, and hard work to master it. The same applies to all employees. Once you start delegating leadership, they will get the chance to practice hands-on. When you begin delegation in your office, you can start conducting supporting, skill-based workshops as well. The nature of delegating itself allows leaders to train their subordinates, and leaders also get to learn from their employees.
4. Encourages Honesty
Honesty is something so vital, yet it can never be forced. Communicating feedback, doing the task, being punctual, maintaining good relationships inside the workplace, and everything else needed for a smooth work environment requires honesty. Believe it or not, delegating leadership gives every individual the space to become honest willingly. It is impossible to delegate for the leader and complete delegated tasks by the subordinates without complete transparency. This is one place where honesty can start to become a habit, and eventually, it will become a part of every single employee in your organization, all with the help of delegation.
5. More Brains
This point is connected with employee empowerment. When the subordinates take control, they think differently than the superiors. It is human nature that no two individuals ever perceive the same information in the same exact way. What this means is that for the same task, more brains will put in their ideas. Therefore, on top of what the leader suggests, the subordinate can bridge in more ideas and produce something innovative.
6. Leadership Requires Planning
Being a leader is not an easy job. There is a lot that goes into becoming a good leader. One of the most vital duties of a leader is to plan. Without doing so, not only is the life of the leader worsened, but it also affects all of the subordinates. Planning and organizing is a time-consuming job. Luckily, delegating leaves behind ample time for planning effectively. Basically, delegating effectively lets the team leader do what’s most important and focus on the big picture while the rest of the team handles delegated tasks.
7. Organization of Tasks
Here’s something we all know but tend to forget quite often: Not all tasks are equal. Some are a higher priority, while others can be delayed. Sometimes, specific tasks come up later but need to be completed before everything else. This is why leaders need to plan. However, even after all the planning, urgent tasks or projects can surface out of nowhere. In times like these, the best way out is by delegating leadership. Jobs that do not require 100% expertise of the leader can be delegated. Now, the delegated task will be completed well in time. Similarly, whatever the leader is left behind doing can also be tackled urgently.
Mistakes to Avoid When Delegating Leadership
Aren’t you amazed by all the mind-blowing benefits of delegating leadership? Be careful, though, because these benefits can be lost if you make the following mistakes. These common delegation mistakes can turn the tables, and instead of advantages, the wrong delegation technique may make things harder for you.
Over-Delegation
Delegation is the distribution of workload so that the delegator can spend their time doing more important things. This does not mean that the supervisor should delegate everything and sit idle themselves. Over-delegating leads to excess burden and pressure on employees. No employee can ever perform well enough under constant stress. Also, if you delegate more than one task simultaneously to the same team, things will get messy. You can delegate multiple tasks at one time, but make sure you’re distributing the workload among more individuals instead of concentrating the pressure on just a few.
Micromanaging
Delegating leadership is all about sharing control. If you’re going to micromanage every single move of your subordinates, you might as well do the job yourself. Not only is it hectic for the supervisor, but it also makes things tougher for the subordinates. You must give enough autonomy and authority for employees to succeed and complete the task.
Lack of Communication
Just because you’ve handed over part of your reign to another individual does not rid you of responsibility. Your duty here is clear communication. Whenever you delegate, be very clear, and do not leave any ambiguity. From task details to deadlines to the degree of authority being delegated, let the subordinate know all the specifics. In times like these, it is better to over-communicate instead of risking a lack of communication. Also, clarify things that you assume the team already knows. Moreover, do not expect the subordinates to ask all the questions on the spot. As they move on with the task, more queries will surface. So, be readily available to provide the support that your team needs.
Demand for 100% Perfection
Humans always make mistakes. As a leader, you make mistakes, too. That’s not something to be ashamed of. The concern here is that you and all your subordinates should be willing to accept the mistakes. Followed by acceptance of a mistake is the will to fix it. You should put confidence in your team members. Give them enough room to mess up while performing the task so that they do not feel overwhelmed with pressure. At the same time, be authoritative enough to command them to learn from their mistake so that it’s not repeated in the future. Instead of reprimanding your team for making mistakes, offer help. Since you are the expert in the lot, your subordinates expect to learn from you.
Choosing the Wrong Person
The essence of delegation is that the subordinates should do a good job. Now, delegation doesn’t magically make every team member highly skilled. It is your job as a leader to identify who can do what. Moreover, you should also use the 5 levels of task delegation[1] to make sure that the assigned jobs are monitored according to the skill level of the subordinates. Distributing tasks randomly will do the opposite of what you expect from delegation.[2] To save time, you should pre-evaluate all of your subordinates. This way, when the time comes, you know exactly who to go to.
Conclusion
There is no doubt left in the importance of delegating leadership. If you’re a leader who is concerned about the productivity, pressure, workload, and overall environment in your workspace, learning how to delegate is a beneficial path to adopt in the long term. Avoid the common rookie leader mistakes and let delegating leadership do wonders for your organization!
More Tips on Delegating
How to Delegate Tasks Effectively (Step-By-Step Guide) The Delights of Delegation: Why Going it Alone Doesn’t Work Delegate Your Time Sinks and Reclaim Your Day
Featured photo credit: Dylan Gillis via unsplash.com
