What is Delegation?

Delegation is all about passing on responsibility and authority for specific tasks from one person to someone else. A manager or supervisor can break down tasks and hand them out to their team, allowing leaders to concentrate on other important things instead.

Delegation can really help employees feel more confident in what they can do, and it can spark their creativity and innovation too.

Synonyms

• Task allocation
• Outsourcing
• Assignment
• Entrustment
• Transfer of responsibility
• Allotment
• Authorization

Types of Delegation

The main types of delegation include:

1. General or specific delegation

General delegation happens when a manager hands over the authority to a subordinate, allowing them to take care of all the functions in their department. Some of the tasks might involve organizing, planning, and directing. The manager keeps an eye on everything and offers to help the team whenever they need it.

So, specific delegation is basically when a manager hands off a particular task or function to a team member. For example, an HR manager may request that an HR assistant perform interviews for a specific department over a set period of time.

2. Formal or informal delegation

Formal delegation is a component of an organizational framework. When someone is given a task, they also get some authority to go along with it. So, basically, everyone gets authority based on what they’re supposed to do.

Sometimes, informal delegation just happens because of the situation. So, you know, someone might do a specific task not just because it's part of their job, but because it's something that really needs to get done. 

3. Lateral delegation

Lateral delegation happens when authority is passed on in a more casual way. Sometimes, a person might need a little help to get a task done that their manager has handed over to them. Getting help from these individuals might take a little while.

Individuals can reach out to them for help with the tasks without needing to ask their supervisor first.

How to Delegate Tasks Effectively

If you're in a leadership role, here are some steps to help you delegate effectively:

1. Know when to delegate

To start delegating tasks, you need to figure out when the right time is. If someone on your team wants to move up into a leadership role, you might consider giving them some leadership tasks to help them develop and enhance their skills.

Think about whether giving a specific task could help an employee grow or enhance their skills before you hand it off to them.

2. Select the right candidate

Think about delegating tasks to someone who can really get the job done or gain something from what they're working on. If you see that one of your employees could use some help with a particular skill, you might consider giving them tasks that can help them get better at it.

If someone on the team is nervous about speaking up, you might want to assign them tasks that involve less interaction with others. This way, they can work on getting better at communicating and connecting with others. Feel free to delegate time-sensitive tasks to an employee who has the right skills and strengths to get them done on time.

3. Explain your reasoning

It might be a good idea to chat with your team about why you’ve assigned them a particular task. Sharing your reasons can really help them understand how to resolve the assignment and lift their spirits. If you ask an employee to conduct an interview, it might be helpful to mention that you recognise their goal of becoming a manager soon.

Let them know that this task can really help them build those managerial and leadership skills they’re aiming for. This could really motivate them to take the task seriously and feel comfortable asking questions that will help them get it done right.

4. Describe the goals and provide resources

Talking about the goals of a specific job can really help the employee understand what you expect from them and what they need to do to get the tasks done. When employees have clear goals, it really helps them figure out the steps they need to take to get things done.

This can boost their creativity and problem-solving abilities. Feel free to share the resources they rely on when tackling a given task. This can really help them wrap up the project smoothly, avoiding any delays or difficulties along the way.

5. Give feedback

Think about sharing some feedback with your team once they finish the tasks you assign them. This gives employees a clear idea of how to enhance their skills for their next job and can really boost their confidence, especially if they execute the task just like you envisioned.

If you see that the employee's method isn't working well, feel free to guide them on how to resolve a specific task instead.

Benefits of Delegation

Here are some benefits of delegation:

• It gives the manager time and energy to do more important things.
• It gives workers more authority by allowing them to show that they can handle greater responsibilities.
• It helps in grooming the next managers and leaders
• It supports the development of new skills
• It enhances time management abilities by promoting task prioritization.
• It boosts employee confidence, encourages creativity, improves decision-making, and helps to define organizational structure.
• It supports collective accomplishment, allowing each person to feel like they are part of the business. 
• It helps managers grow and improve their abilities because they have more time to work on them.
• It enhances an organization's production and efficiency.
• It builds employee trust and communication.
• It helps managers learn how to build and manage their workforce.