How to Delegate Effectively and Minimize the Risk

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How to Delegate Effectively and Minimize the Risk

Share the load for increased efficiencies
Jesse Lyn Stoner

Published: 07/23/2015
Delegating is often one of the hardest things for a manager to do. You give away your authority to make
decisions but are still responsible for the outcome if something goes wrong.
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Often managers dont delegate because they hold one or more of these beliefs. Do any sound familiar?
If you want the job done right, you have to do it yourself.
They dont know how, and its not my job to train them.
They dont want extra responsibilities.
Theyve already got too much to do.
Its my job to do the thinking. Its their job to do the work.
They will get the recognition instead of me.
If they do too much, I might be seen as dispensable.
If they do it wrong, it will reflect badly on me.
They might make mistakes that will harm the company.
Does it seem like the risk is too great?

12 reasons delegating is worth the risk

1. You can manage your time better and increase your efficiency.
2. You will stop being inundated with irrelevant details.
3. You get out of the mode of going from crisis to crisis.
4. You have more time to think strategically and plan for the future.
5. You have more time to concentrate on the work that is really important.
6. Your team has an opportunity to develop skills and knowledge and increase its effectiveness.
7. You improve the quality of decisions because they are being made by those who have the most information
and are closest to the situation.
8. You are seen as more effective because your team is more effective.

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9. You show your team members that you have trust and confidence in them, which positively affects their
attitudes, interpersonal relationships, and performance.
10. You increase their commitment to the task, to the team, and to the company.
11. You create a pool of talent that can take over whenever needed.
12. You are more likely to be promoted because it will be easier to fill your position.
Ready to delegate? Heres how to minimize the risk.

Guidelines to determine what to delegate

First, have a discussion with your direct reports and gather their perspective on their skills, interests, and
current workload. Allow them to have a say in determining what and when tasks are delegated to them.
Next, support their development by delegating activities that might be part of their future responsibilities.
Dont delegate performance evaluations, disciplinary actions, confidential tasks, tasks specifically assigned to
you, and sensitive situations.
Finally, delegate to the lowest level at which the task can be successfully accomplished. Dont bypass your
direct report, but give her the authority to delegate the task.

Steps to delegate effectively

1. Ensure expectations are clear. Be specific, clear, and complete about the task, goals, responsibilities,
constraints, what a good job looks like, and how performance will be evaluated. Clarify at the beginning the
amount and type of supervision you will provide and how the progress will be monitored.
2. Grant authority. Grant the authority needed to do the job. Let all who will be affected know about the
delegation.
3. Provide needed support and resources. Provide all information that is available and relevant; pass on
other information as it becomes available. Give public credit when they succeed, but deal with mistakes
discretely.
4. Get out of the way. Dont interfere or take the delegation back unless its clear that corrective action is
necessary. Dont supervise too closely. Post-delegation hovering is demoralizing and will interfere
with your direct reports commitment and effectiveness.
5. Dont accept upward delegation. Make it a policy that if someone brings a problem to you, they must
also bring proposed solutions. Dont become the person who solves everyones problems, or you will end up
taking on everyones work.
6. Maintain accountability. It should be clear that your direct report has the responsibility for seeing the job
well done. Remember, however, that the ultimate accountability remains with you.
7. Delegate consistently. Make delegation a regular practice, not just when youre overloaded or when tasks
are unpleasant.
First published June 3, 2015, on Jesse Lyn Stoners Blog. 2015 Jesse Stoner.

About The Author

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How to Delegate Effectively and Minimize the Risk

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Jesse Lyn Stoner

Jesse Stoner is a business leader, consultant, and author of several books including the international
bestseller Full Steam Ahead! Unleash the Power of Vision, co-authored with Ken Blanchard, which has been
translated into 22 languages. She has worked with hundreds of leaders using collaborative processes to
engage the entire workforce in creating their desired future. Her clients include Honda, Marriott, Edelman,
Skanska, SAP and YPO to name a few. She writes an award-winning leadership blog and was named in the
Huffington Post as one of the 100 Thought Leaders to Follow on Twitter @JesseLynStoner.

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