The productivity of a leader and/or of an organisation is dependent on a very crucial aspect: delegation. The term delegation does not simply imply the ‘assignment’ of work to a team member or subordinate. It also entails transferring the ‘accountability’ for task completion. This is the reason why several managers who are fearful of losing control prefer completing every task themselves. Unfortunately, the managers who are unable to comprehend the benefits and value of delegation also often find themselves overwhelmed and overworked.

Here are some of the main advantages and long-term impacts of effective delegation at the workplace:

Building of strengths and weaknesses

Research suggests that some of the best examples of growth have been noted when a person is given responsibility for a skill set or area which requires further development. Think about it: can you ever be a great cyclist without working on your lower body strength? Similarly, if a manager or supervisor refrains from working on people’s potential growth areas, they would never have the chance to build on those skills and this will ultimately prevent them from becoming well-rounded leaders themselves.

Better time management

Delegation leads to improved time management. In other words, with effective delegation of trivial and/or redundant tasks, the delegator has time to manage the more critical issues at work. There is also a higher chance of timely achievement of goals and objectives.

Less delays in decision making

Experts often say that effective delegation enhances the overall productivity of an organisation. The question is ‘how’? One of the reasons why productivity increases is perhaps due to minimal delays in decision making. With delegation, lesser number of people are dependent on you to take a decision or action before a task is proceeded.

Alignment of core values and personal growth

With delegation, a manager has the opportunity to create and promote tasks that drill down the core values and objectives of the organisation into the workers. In fact, there is perhaps no better way to keep them aligned with the core values and vision of the organisation than to work on meaningful tasks. And of course, the learning environment is critical for the personal growth of all workers, regardless of the business or industry type.

Some Tips On Delegation

Identify tasks that can be delegated easily

Not every task is suitable for delegation, especially if it demands a skill that is unique to the manager or supervisor only. However, every business and industry type has some tasks that could be easily delegated. It is a good idea to identify tasks suitable for delegation by taking note of the skills and equipment needed for the job and whether or not it requires interpersonal skills.

Develop a detailed assignment plan

The first step in delegation is to document all processes and create a system that allows you to share this information. You will need to think about your highest priorities in delegation and how to allocate, track and oversee the delegated tasks.

Selecting the right workers

One of the core aspects of effective delegation is to choose the right people on the team for different tasks. It might be helpful to identify workers who showcase self-motivation and are confident about handling a task without the need for constant supervision.