Opinion

The path of least pain

Finance | Paul Bennett | 1 Oct 2008

Paul Bennett reveals some tips about effective delegation.

I am sure that most of us would agree it is quite unlikely that when the time comes and we are lying on our death bed we would utter the words “I wish I had worked harder”. But given our time again wouldn’t it be good to ensure that we made best use of our time and were more productive?

There are really only three ways to make better use of your time. Stop doing lower priority jobs and concentrate on the things that matter. Get more effective at what you do by establishing a distraction free work routine. And delegate more.

The ability to get things done through effective delegation is a cornerstone of good self-management. It is also an essential part of getting the best out of your people. Understanding a few basic concepts makes delegation easier.

Delegation has always been recognised as a key ingredient of successful management and leadership. But in the 1980s delegation underwent a crisis of confidence. Managers were intent on progressing as quickly as possible up the corporate ladder, working 12 hour days rather than delegating and risking others sharing the glory. In the corporate cut and thrust, delegation appeared to be a sign of weakness.

The 1990s saw a shift in attitudes. No longer was delegation an occasional managerial indulgence. Instead, it had become a necessity. With organisations becoming flatter and hierarchies disappearing, managers now had a far wider span of control than ever before. In that situation, delegation is vital. The trouble is that delegation is like driving a car. No one admits to being a bad delegator.

Good delegation is hard work and requires substantial confidence and faith. Managers, after all, are usually delegating tasks which they are accomplished at carrying out to less experienced people.

Delegating is being prepared to trust people to do a task and achieve results without your interference. It is easier said than done. Managers who make delegation work for them are those who have eliminated fear. They do not delegate and then sit worrying that the job won’t be done well enough and they will be blamed, or have to sort it out.

They have confidence in their own position and are not fearful that the person will do too good a job and undermine their position and authority. They also make time to delegate properly. Initially, delegation does involve committing time, but there are substantial time savings for the future.

The role of managers is changing from controlling and planning to coaching, leading and acting as a resource.

Delegation allows you more time for more important activities, to develop and motivate your people, to make use of other people’s specialist skills, to ensure an even spread of work across your team, and to do things quicker by concurrent activity.

You should delegate routine jobs, together with attendant authority and power to make decisions, functions which make you over specialise, jobs that others can do better, and probably more cheaply too, work that will create variety for a subordinate, job enrichment, and work that will develop a subordinate.

You should not delegate setting up teams or team objectives, communicating decisions, objectives and achievements, discipline of subordinate’s colleagues, confidential, security and policy matters restricted to your level, accountability for the task, and new tasks without guidance or training.In the complex, dynamic, competitive business environment we now find ourselves in delegation is an essential tool for sustainable success.

It is quite possible that when the time comes we could hear people utter the words “I wish I had delegated more”.

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