Introduction
Delegation is an essential tool in managers’ hands; it allows for effective time management and can also serve as a motivating factor for subordinates. It is a process that gives the authority to make choices and be accountable for results to employees at any company level. From a managerial perspective, delegation means sharing projects with colleagues, allowing them to complete those projects with minimal disruption (Tomescu-Dumitrescu & Mihai, 2019). Bateman et al. (2020) define six steps of efficient delegation: define the goal, select the person, discuss the person’s understanding, provide authority, time, and resources, schedule the revision, and timely discuss the progress. The efficiency of this approach will be better seen in the example of delegating the development of a corporate policy.
Steps in the process for effective delegation
Each of the six mentioned delegation steps from different angles covers the critical features of the delegation process: clarity and balanced supervision. First, the manager must define the goal of the delegated task. It has to be done concretely and succinctly since a broad definition implies a greater space for interpretational mismatches. After the plan is set, the manager should assess all possible candidates for the given task. At this stage, the critical characteristics of employees should not be limited by sole reliability – good practice would be to consider the employee’s willingness and potential for future growth. Then comes the explanation of the task to the chosen employee. The manager must ensure the subordinate clearly understands what must be done to avoid unexpected results. Asking them to express the goal as they understand it and discuss possible approaches and solutions will help the manager see whether the understanding was accomplished.
The last preparation steps include providing the employee with everything they would require to complete the task and scheduling the checkpoints for revision. In particular, the manager should explain the given authority boundaries, set the time milestones and a deadline, and ensure that essential resources, such as people, money, or equipment, are accessible to the employee. From this moment, the only activity that is left is to follow the schedule and check the task completion, intervening only if the results somehow deviate from the set goal.
Vice President Thomas’s advice
To delegate the task of specific policy development, President Thomas should first define the ultimate goal of this policy and how he sees its achievement. Consequently, he should choose the employee who is not only capable of task completion but also might be personally interested in it. When a suitable person is chosen, Thomas should discuss the aspects of the task to achieve the employee’s understanding and an agreement on the schedule. Afterward, the person should be provided with access to certain company background information to study the already existing policies and the success of their implementation. In addition, Thomas should consider the costs associated with the task and accordingly provide them; they might include expenses on additional research or the reward for the job. From now on, Thomas can timely check on the employee to monitor the process; apart from that, he can relocate his attention to other issues and enjoy the appreciation he might receive from the employee due to the provided trust.
Conclusion
A six-step approach to the delegation process showcases transparency and full insurance. If the delegated task is concise and adequately understood by the subordinate, if the subordinate has access to all required resources and is timely and properly supervised, the manager may not worry about successful task completion. The manager’s free time for other vital tasks, as well as the gratitude of the chosen employee, comes as an additional bonus.
References
Bateman, T. S., Snell, S., & Konopaske, R. (2020). Management. McGraw-Hill Education.
Tomescu-Dumitrescu, C., & Mihai, E. A. (2019). DELEGATION AS A MANAGEMENT METHOD. Annals-Economy Series, 3, 182-187.