Mueller - Effective delegation

Often the best time management tool besides being physically organized is being adept at delegating. There are many other reasons to delegate. When mastered as a business skill, delegation can reduce stress. Clearing our desks and our calendars is best accomplished through delegation. When we have a lesser load, we can focus on what is truly important and what gets the desired results for our position.

A sense of achievement is important for our satisfaction as employees. Effective delegation can increase responsibility and provide the delegate with a higher level of satisfaction and a greater sense of importance and worth. Delegation can mean motivation and empowerment, and the result is usually better quality of work.

Not only does proper delegation improve motivation, but is also provides an opportunity to build others' skills. As managers and leaders it is our job to increase the potential of our employees. Delegation also can prove to be an on the spot evaluative tool-when done properly delegation allows us to view the abilities of others.

So, when we do not delegate effectively what happens? Managers become disorganized and focus on low-priority tasks rather than tasks that get results. The result is more unproductive hours logged, low morale among underutilized staff, missed deadlines, and a system that is not efficient.

In order to understand how to be a better delegator, we must understand why we fail to delegate. Many of us are control freaks and we simply do not want to trust the work to others. It often is also quicker for us to perform the tasks ourselves. In reality, when we have this mindset, we are simply heading ourselves into a dead end managerial position. The best leaders and mangers develop their people, by properly guiding and mentoring them in tasks and projects-you know, by delegating to them.

I have avoided delegating before because I would rather be overburdened than place more work on my staff. Once again, if they are overwhelmed, it just provides an opportunity for them to develop their own time management and delegation skills.

Often we are just not comfortable in our leadership shoes in delegating properly. To overcome this, we must follow a delegation process and be consistent. Practice makes permanent!

The very first rule to effective delegation is simple: make sure we have good relationships with our staff and we have been using good sound human relations principles.

Then, identify the need. Create a picture of what the outcome should be. We must always delegate authority and results. Identify whom we will delegate to and why we have chosen that person.

Now we must plan the delegation. Remember the "should be" -- what is to be accomplished in the scope of this delegation plan. Then determine the "as is: or the reality of the current situation. Effective leaders and managers make a thorough estimate of the situation, both internally and externally. This is so they can obtain a clear picture of the factors that may help or hinder their efforts and enable them to set realistic goals.

Now we are ready to define and set the goals. Please use the SMART formula -- specific, measurable, attainable, relevant (to your result and overall mission/vision) and time sensitive.

Hold a delegation meeting -- identify the expected results, outline rules and limitation and review performance standards.

Now create a plan of action, review the plan, implement the plan and by all means follow up! The most important thing to remember is to always check for understanding and provide any information, knowledge or training necessary to the delegate for their best possible chance of success.

I know, after reading this it sure seems easier to do it ourselves. But in reality, once we have a process or system that we automatically follow, we can delegate effectively for results, make life easier for ourselves, develop others, and maintain performance and profitability

Sharon Mueller is president of Success Skills, a staff development and training company committed to the success of a client's enterprise through improving the performance of employees and processes within the client's organization. She can be reached at 332-0900 or smuellerk@hotmail.com.