Delegation is a word commonly used in and out of management circles but few people understand it. It is not the act of dumping failure on the shoulders of a junior staff member or looking for a scapegoat when things go haywire. According to Blair (2009) delegation is a management style, which allows junior staff members to nurture their skills and cognition to their full potential. Its objective is to let somebody else do a given task without the boss necessarily intervening. Delegation is thus important in all departments and it improves efficiency in operations.
Managers delegate duties as part of their management responsibilities. How does this happen? Well, delegation follows a procedure and this happens on a daily basis. The manager identifies what to delegate and points out who to perform that particular task. They discuss the basics of the task under study and give a period to complete the assignment. Other subordinate employees give views on the way forward. However, how to carry out the assignment lies under the mandate of the employee involved. The manager formulates checkpoints for reviewing progress at specific times. Employees then figure out how to do the task and brief the manager on the progress of the assignment.
Delegation covers almost all employees in a well-managed organization but not targeting particular star performers. It involves motivation to employees and giving them chance to nourish their skills thus supporting the organization’s growth. However, managers are responsible for the actions of their subordinate employees, and this calls for a clear analysis of one’s capabilities. According to Bateman and Snell (2009), delegation is significant at all hierarchical stages (p 297). In delegation, considering responsibility, skills and accountability are of the essence to ensure achievement of desired results.
With proper management, the delegation could be more effective in planning, organizing, leading, or controlling within any organization. Pleneret and Thomas (2006), concur that top management and board of directors form the primary decision-making in planning, but implementation involves all subordinate employees. The board allocates resources to move the organization towards a given direction, but employees run the projects (p 657).
Bateman and Snell (2009) posit that creating a result-oriented work environment (ROWE) would make delegation more efficient in performing the organization’s duties (p 298). This implies that employees schedule their work and determine how many hours they will work provided they complete a given task. For instance, in marketing, marketers plan their time and determine when to do what and at what time. They report to the office at least once a week to brief their managers on the progress of their work. Managers evaluate such employees not on the number of hours spent in the office, but on performance.
Another sure way to make delegation more efficient is to train workers on particular exercises. In the recruitment process, employees undergo screening to select the best candidate that can succeed in the work environment. This implies that they have the potential to learn. So training these potential employees before delegating any duty to them would prepare them for future tasks. Even the managers go through some training to reach their top positions. This transfer of knowledge will help employees to shun some common mistakes that the managers probably learned through experience. Experience is the best teacher, but in business, learning from the mistakes of others is highly recommendable. This will not only save time but also preclude the company from running into losses.
Delegation entails more compartmentalizing the company into different small units than having large-scale units that are difficult to manage. Bateman and Snell (2009) state that it is important to divide departments according to business functions and skills required (p 302). This would make delegation more effective in management. A chief executive officer will have departments like purchasing, manufacturing, marketing, finance, human resource, and information technology. Under each, more subdivisions should exist to ensure that people specialize in what they know most. This appears more of job specialization and labor division but the key factor is delegation. Running small units is easier than running a large amorphous unit.
Siegel (2008) points that contingency planning is crucial in all companies; be it big or small companies (p 60). This ensures that management identifies potential threats and tailors mitigation measures to counter these threats should they strike. Delegating the mitigation measures to subordinate employees implies that implementation of the same at times of crisis is effective, thus cushioning the company from some avoidable disasters. Egan (2007) concurs that SWOT analysis comes in handy in tactical planning. In this analysis, all employees should count for effective management (p 57).
Are there skills necessary for effective delegation? Any exercise executed with skills and knowledge bears good fruits more than often. Every step of delegation requires skills. For instance, managers should be discerning on the kind of assignment they are giving out. Without proper knowledge of the task given, it is insurmountable to evaluate the progress of the project. Good personal relation skills are equally crucial in delegating. They allow managers to pick the best-suited candidate to perform a certain duty, hence minimizing the chances of poorly done assignments.
Managers should be creative to create a win-win situation in delegating duties. This ensures that employees work for a reward thus improving chances of quality work. Supervision skills count a lot in the process of delegation. Tasks delegated need supervision and if the manager is not perceptive on this, chances are that the task will flop. According to Businessballs (2009), the delegation process should be SMARTER, that is, Specific, Measurable, Agreed, Realistic, Time-bound, Ethical and Recorded. Managers should have the skills to tailor such a smart delegation rule.
Delegation is thus a critical component in managing a company due to its numerous advantages. They include saving time, increasing the level of productivity, and employees’ motivation. It is through delegation that employees portray their ability to handle bigger tasks on their own. A company can build a system of training their future managers through such exercises. New ideas finally find their way into a company because employees come up with their own way of doing things. Junior workers form an important group of people in any organization.
Managers do this on daily basis ensuring that each project takes a specific time before completion. Used properly, delegation can improve the performance of an organization by several folds. Delegation processes where employees get benefits on a performance basis yield the best results. Managers need diverse skills to delegate properly and effectively. These skills include a good understanding of the delegated task, supervision skills, perfect personal relations skills, and creativity among others. These skills employed tactfully smoothen and qualify the purpose of delegation.
References
Bateman, S. & Snell, A. (2009). Management: Leading & Collaborating in a Competitive World. (pp 297-298, 302). 8th Ed
Blair M. (2009). The Art of Delegation. Web.
Businessballs.com. (2009). Delegating Authority Skills, Tasks and the Process of Effective Delegation. Delegation. Web.
Egan, P. (2007). Tactical Planning. Management Insight. (p 57).
Siegel C. (2008). Contingency Planning for All Sizes. Managed Money. (p 60).
Thomas, G. & Plenert, G. (2006). Planning. (Helms, M.M. Ed) Detroit Gale. (p 657).