Trust in employees is of the greatest importance in the process of delegating tasks. Often, managers are afraid to delegate a task because they are convinced that they will do it better and faster - in this way, however, they take on too many responsibilities and cease to be effective.
I don't know if you can believe that the article below was published in 2008. Why am I mentioning this? Because in my opinion, it is a very good text, and the rules contained therein are still valid today.
This prompts me to reflect on being mindful and self-minded when looking at all the new fashions that are constantly emerging in the field of "leadership" or team management. Our world is constantly self-propelling. As if it had a huge "propeller in its ass" that does not let it stop and whispers constantly: more, more, new, new ...
And yet at the basis of all relationships, in every life role, is HUMAN. A creature that has been operating for years based on the same fundamental laws: e.g. meeting his needs, honesty, trust, his 'I' versus living in the community.
If we imagine ourselves in the form of a pyramid (for example Maslow's pyramid) or a house that has many floors, then until we take care of the foundations, any changes on higher levels will not bring a sense of inner peace and this priceless feeling "I'm on my own place ".
So sometimes you have to go down to the bottom, fumigate, and clean. Above all, make sure it's our own home, not the one we've lived in because of other people. Only then you can safely build the next levels.
So, Dear Leader, before you begin to master the art of delegation at work, please ask yourself:
14 steps of efficient task delegation
"The most important thing in the process of delegating tasks is trust in employees. Often managers are afraid to delegate a task because they are convinced that they will do it better and faster - in this way, however, they take on too many responsibilities and cease to be effective. negative impact on relations with employees - when superiors do not delegate some responsibility to employees, they think that they are not trusted.
Additionally, seeing the boss still locked in the room, employees may think that he does not have too many responsibilities, hence he is not interested in their work. Proper delegation allows you to effectively divide the work and additionally motivate employees. However, the manager should be careful that delegation does not turn into giving orders.
There are several theories of effective delegation in management - it is best presented by authors associated with Harvard Business School, who distinguish 14 steps of effective delegation:
clearly describe the task, project, or function,
define the goal and explain how it aligns with the overall situation,
analyze the scope of the subordinate's duties,
if relevant, inform about other people who will be involved and describe their roles,
discuss the possible completion date,
set performance standards, success metrics, and the degree of responsibility,
establish binding values on the following issues such as quality, time, costs,
clearly define the employee's responsibility to achieve the standards to which you have agreed,
define available resources and support,
discuss all material and physical resources necessary to complete the commissioned task and confirm their availability,
if necessary, assign additional staff to help you achieve your goals,
ask the employee what support seems to be needed on your part during the implementation of the task,
if special training or your personal instruction is needed, discuss how to provide it,
make an appointment to check your progress.
In the process of task delegation, the boss must inform employees what he/she does.
It is often impossible to reveal all the details of a given task, but employees should have at least a general idea of their work.
Additionally, subordinates should be informed about the purpose for which a given task is performed - such knowledge makes employees aware of the importance of their work and their contribution to the success of the entire organization. Employees must feel that they are part of a larger whole and have a certain influence over it.
A boss who wonders what type of tasks should be delegated to subordinates may be guided by the following division:
Tasks to be delegated.
These are usually routine, repetitive tasks that take too much time, e.g. archiving documents in the accounting department or posting repetitive operations on accounts. Delegating these types of tasks shouldn't take too long to explain the details.
Tasks that should be delegated.
These are routine activities that do not require specific technical knowledge or require knowledge that the employee can acquire on his own (e.g. by familiarizing himself with internal procedures).
Tasks that can be delegated.
These are usually repetitive activities, but they are within the scope of specialists' activities and require appropriate preparation, e.g. preparation of a training program for employees by specialists of the personnel department.
Tasks that the manager should take care of himself.
These are often delegated to the manager by his superiors, so he should not delegate them further. If this happens, focus on explaining precisely what result is expected from him and how he should get it.
Tasks that must not be delegated.
Most often these are the proper employee functions, e.g. setting goals, making decisions about company policy, controlling results, and leading and motivating employees. This group also includes high-risk tasks, confidential cases, and exceptional cases, which the manager often does not have time to solve, so there is no time to explain them to the employee.
Depending on the degree of trust in the employee, delegation can be divided according to what action the manager expects from the subordinate:
investigate the problem - give me all the facts and I will make a decision
investigate the problem - present possible actions, and arguments for and against, and I will make a decision,
investigate the problem - present to me possible actions, arguments for and against, and indicate one of the solutions for approval,
investigate the problem - let me know what you are going to do, but wait for my consent,
investigate the problem - let me know what you are going to do and do it unless I forbid you,
act - let me know what you've done
act - no further contact with me on this matter is needed.
The last two levels are associated with an enormous level of trust - the manager should remember, however, that despite this trust, he should be interested in the employee's actions from time to time.
Each employee is different, so it is important that the boss knows his subordinates well. E.g knows who requires attention (and expects frequent contact) and who values self-reliance and independence. "
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