Avoiding Mistakes When Delegating Tasks

The task delegation process is much more complicated than you think. This may arise when you feel you have explained the task clearly, but it is not carried out well by your employees. When they think employees will do a task easily, they keep coming back until you end up completing the task.

Many managers agree that task delegation is one of the most difficult areas to handle. As a leader, you ultimately have to work with other managers on decisions. Delegation is not the same as handing over tasks to other people because it involves employees as stakeholders.

How to Avoid Mistakes in Task Delegation

The best work delegation occurs when there is a clear results-oriented thought process. You can't ask a team member to do something and constantly interrupt. Here are several things you can do to delegate tasks well.

1. Set clear expectations

When you delegate tasks, be sure to set clear expectations when communicating. You certainly don't want to find out that the assigned task has not been completed by the agreed deadline.

The key to task delegation is maintaining two-way communication. If you want your team to provide updates every day, set a time for everyone. This can be done so as not to leave room for ambiguity or confusion.

It is important to set clear deadlines. Putting a deadline in “next week” or “end of this quarter” only creates ambiguity. Set specific dates for task completion and communicate the flexibility of those set periods.

2. Create a sense of ownership

You cannot assume that your team has received delegated tasks. You have to create ownership so they feel responsible for doing a good job. When they feel they need help, they must recognize responsibility for timely completion and quality of results.

Advise on the consequences professionally and for the company if the desired results fail to be achieved. Let them know that they will be held responsible if they fail to comply. This situation will also help employees to find the best solutions in carrying out their duties.

3. Stay away from micromanagement

When assigning tasks, set overall parameters by giving employees enough space to make their own decisions. Every employee must be able to solve several problems and think creatively.

Minimize micro management because it is like punishing someone for taking the initiative. This seems to teach employees to seek help whenever they can. Make sure to provide learning space and allow room for small mistakes. Solving problems is always more effective than carrying out orders.

Your task is to observe the process remotely without interrupting. When you delegate customer email and want to keep an eye on it, set up a shared inbox. This lets you see all threads even when you're not involved in the email.

4. Avoid reverse delegation

Many managers work too hard because their employees are better at delegating tasks than they are. These tasks somehow get back to the manager and end up having to be done or completed by themselves.

This happens to someone who feels happy when people need help. This happens because managers like to solve problems and want to be heroes. Once you've delegated tasks, let your team be the heroes.

Helping is a good thing, but don't overdo it. When you respond to gain time to think, it is a reverse delegation process. In situations like this, your job is to find the right resources and train them to take over problem solving themselves.

When your team seems helpless, ask them to come up with two or three different versions of the solution. Under those conditions, you can help them evaluate the idea and take the right direction from there.

Delegating tasks does not mean giving tasks to other people. Even though it will be a hassle at first, it will allow you to take your time and think about bigger things. To get the best results, the First Line Leadership program allows you to take advantage of the situation and create the most effective environment.