No leader can do everything themselves. Even if they could, it wouldn’t be desirable nor the best use of resources. Delegating is an essential leadership skill, allowing tasks and workload to be distributed in a way that maximises team efficiency. Delegation is also a way to foster and support development, empowering team members to develop their skills.
Knowing how to delegate effectively as a leader is key to ensuring an efficient use of resources
Why is it important for leaders to delegate?
Leaders are often tasked with overseeing large teams and complex projects. Attempting to manage every detail isn’t realistic, quickly leading to inefficiency and potential burnout. By delegating, leaders can ensure that work is distributed as evenly as possible, bearing in mind the particular strengths, aptitudes and capabilities of different team members.
Delegating ensures that employees are productive and engaged. When team members are trusted with tasks it enables them to test themselves, grow in confidence, and develop new skills.
Understanding how to delegate tasks effectively as a leader encourages collaboration with everyone working towards common goals. Through delegation and teamwork, a shared sense of responsibility can be fostered and developed.
How to delegate effectively as a leader
Effective delegation requires careful consideration and clear communication of roles and expectations:
Identify the tasks to delegate
Leaders need to identify the tasks that need completing for project goals to be achieved, and then decide who can best undertake those tasks. Routine administrative duties can be carried out by more junior team members, with tasks requiring more specialist knowledge given to more experienced or specialised staff. Critical decision making capabilities will usually be retained by leaders and other senior team members.
Choose the right person for the job
Delegation only works well if tasks are assigned to the person who is best suited for the job. This means that leaders need to have a realistic understanding of the strengths, skills, and current workload of team members before a task is assigned. This last point is particularly important, as highly capable team members can often find themselves being over assigned multiple roles and tasks.
Set clear expectations
Team members need to be given clear guidelines, goals, and objectives to carry out any delegated tasks. They should be given the resources they require, as well as any additional resources that they may need. Employees should understand the scope of their responsibilities as ambiguity can lead to confusion and potential mistakes.
Provide autonomy
Employees should have the freedom to complete tasks in their own way. Leaders need to resist the temptation to micromanage or over-intervene. Employees should be empowered to take ownership of their work while ensuring that they know how to access any support they may need. By trusting employees, leaders can foster a greater sense of investment and accountability.
Develop your leadership skills with Leadership Success
Effective delegation is just one of the many skills that leaders need to develop.
With a tailored, individualised approach to leadership development, we understand that everyone is different, bringing a range of influences, experiences, and qualities to their role.
Our leadership assessment tools enable you to identify your current individual and organisational leadership strengths and training needs. Our experts come from a range of backgrounds, each bringing their own perspective to leadership. With their transformative insight and support, our mentors help leaders achieve their goals.
Contact us to find out more about how we can help your organisation unlock the full potential of your leadership team.
