Delegation

Delegation Skills Training

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Delegation

'It takes more time to explain to someone what I want done and how to do it than it does to do the job myself in the first place.'

Unfortunately, this sentiment is not uncommon and it is also understandable, to a degree.

Letting other people do the things that have previously been done by you means they will be done differently.

Delegating means letting go of control.

Let's face it, no matter how much explaining and training you give someone, the other person isn't going to do the job exactly as you would.

If they're good, they'll take on board what you say and make the project or task their own.

If they're bad, they'll screw up and it will be proof positive why you shouldn't have given them the job in the first place.

Here are some of the downsides of delegating for some people:

It creates stress, anxiety and worry
The job won't get done as well as you could do it
You'll have to check up on what's being done
You'll give them autonomy but they won't know what to do with it
You won't be in control
They'll never do it as well as I could
People will make mistakes

Fortunately, the upsides are far greater:

Successful delegating frees up your time
It develops other people's skills and capabilities
People feel valued and trusted
New ideas are more likely to be generated when other people are involved in the work
Mistakes are a great place to learn and develop

Delegation benifits everyone

Sometimes delegation does mean lowering your own exacting standards and letting people find their own solutions and ways of doing things.

But delegation is also the opportunity to give people the support they need to accomplish the job and develop as more valuable members of the team.

And the obvious payoff is, if you do it well, you will no longer be up to your elbows in the work yourself.

Delegation is an art, a key management skill that involves a lot more than just getting the work done.