Set Yourself and Others Up to Succeed with Delegation

Brenda Griffin  Get A Job Expert

Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great make you feel that you, too, can become great. - Mark Twain

     Want a promotion and a stronger resume?  Build a skill - delegation!  Delegation skills are valued by employers.  Those that delegate well get more work done through others. That adds up to results that employers like to see.  It also paves the way to promotion.  So what exactly is delegation?

     Delegation is more than a Frisbees toss.  You know, where you fling out a task with no instruction and expect great results. Then, when you get results you didn't expect, you're unhappy and promptly express yourself!  With this strategy, the more Frisbees you toss, the more likely people will run. Why?  Nobody likes to be set up to fail. 

     Delegation is taking time to communicate, and then some.  After all, you get what you ask for. If you're not clear and specific, you'll get what they think you asked for!  A hard lesson to learn - if you don't get what you wanted, it's your fault. (Ouch!)

     Yet, effective delegation goes even further.  The process extends to evaluating two things: employee technical skills and confidence level.  This is done this for one reason - to honor the dignity of people by giving them a chance to succeed.

     Poor delegators make a big mistake.  They think all employees are created equal. That they come prepackaged with top notch skills and high confidence levels. So they should be able to hit the ground running, right? Not always!

     They may also fall into the trap of thinking that if they know how to do a task, everyone does.  Even worse, they think everyone should know. That is when things get ugly. There's nothing worse than the finger of shame and blame waving at you when you really don't know how to do something, least of all their way. Poor delegators tread on dangerous ground by implying people are flawed, lacking, or just "stupid" when the real issue is a lack of knowledge... that can be learned - big difference!

     When assumptions are made, and instructions aren't clear, people don't know how to succeed with your tasks. Next thing you know, they won't want to work with you.  They'll work with someone that wants to see them succeed.  Someone that will make them feel great.

     What's the bottom line with delegation? Setting others up to succeed, no matter how long it takes or what kind of effort is involved.  You'll score points with your boss and with the people you work with.  In fact, seasoned delegators enjoy watching others grow into their full potential by taking on new tasks.

     So how do you assess the technical skills and confidence levels of employees?  Rather than make assumptions, ask a few questions.  For technical ability try, "What experience do you have with XYZ?" or" If you were to be assigned this project, how would you approach it?"  Listen carefully to answers. They will also shed light on their confidence level.

     Follow up with, "How comfortable would you be with taking this on?" and "What would you need from me in order to do this task?" This will gauge confidence and level of support needed from you.  Once you have your information, you can make a plan where you both succeed.

     Yes, effective delegation does take effort. The rewards, however, will multiply. For you, your coworkers and your company!   What can you do to make someone feel great today?

Have a great week.