Earlier this week, we discussed the importance of delegation as a tool for reducing workload and freeing up time to focus your personal effort on the highest return activities.

When done correctly, delegation not only enlarges your personal capacity but also increases the capacity of your team.

Those you manage should be growing in their abilities, confidence, and bandwidth to take on increasingly complex tasks as a result of the delegation process.

How do you make sure you’re delegating in a healthy way?  Matt Perman* provides some basic guidelines for ensuring your delegation methodology passes muster.

Five Components of Effective Delegation

Here is a paraphrase of Matt’s delegation guidelines.  There is much more detail concerning these descriptions in his book, but this will give you most of what you need to understand the concept.

Define the desired results.   Desired results are the things that need to be accomplished.  It is the what—not the how. If you’re treating your subordinates like partners, they can and often should be participants in defining the desired result.  They will have useful ideas that shape the intended outcome.

Develop Guidelines.  Delegation is not telling what is needed and giving no other guidance.   There are often parameters essential to accomplishing the task effectively.  While guidelines are good, don’t go overboard by developing detailed rules.  Leave as much as possible for them to determine.

Assign Resources.  Let the person know the budget, if relevant, and the other people who might be helpful to consult with to get the task done correctly.

Provide Accountability.  You don’t need to define accountability for every task delegated; that would get tiresome.  Accountability just needs to be in place for the overall context of the relationship.   Standards of performance and regular performance reviews are helpful, but supplement these tools by checking in with the person and seeing how things are going.

Outline Consequences.  Consequences should include both the good outcomes, if the delegated responsibility is fulfilled, and what happens if your team member falls short.  Positive outcomes might include increased responsibility, promotions, financial rewards, natural consequences, etc.

As a take-away from this guidance on delegation, make a simple checklist of these five components.  When you delegate a task, project, or new area of responsibility to a person on your team, go through the checklist with your subordinate.

If you both agree all of the components are covered, you’ll be well on your way to mastering the art of delegation.

Your New Role as a Manager

If delegation is done correctly, Matt suggests a manager’s role will change.

You’ll no longer be a detailed supervisor, but a source of help.    In one sense, the person delegated to becomes the manager because they are empowered to manage themselves within the context of the agreement.

It is true that delegation means some things will be done less effectively—at first.  And, there is a higher up-front time investment.  But it is worth it because it is not just efficiency, but building people up.  This increases capacity for the long term, which is both more effective and efficient. 

*Note:  Be advised that Perman’s book is written from a Christian worldview.  His approach of addressing productivity may not be for everyone and may even be offensive to some people.  If you’re sensitive to this issue, don’t buy the book.  If you still want to learn about this topic but want to skip all the “philosophy stuff,” start reading at Part 4 of his book (page 189 and beyond) and skip Part 7 (stop reading at page 295).  The 100 pages between these marks are very tactical with little philosophy mixed in.

Questions or Comments?  Reply to your WorkPuzzle subscription email.

Didn’t get the WorkPuzzle email?  Subscribe below.  We promise not to share your email with others or use it for any other purpose but delivering WorkPuzzle notices.