Delegation - perform the task yourself, but delegate to a subordinate?

How many times has it happened that a lot of responsibilities have accumulated, and the day has not lengthened? Here you need to review papers, there fill out tables, and still the boss came and added another task. The volume of work is so huge that we will certainly not manage to do everything on time. So why not delegate some of the tasks to your subordinates?

Why don't we delegate?

Many managers often do not delegate their tasks for various reasons. Some think they will lose too much time explaining what a subordinate should do. Others that the work may be done poorly and they will have to make corrections. Still others fear that they will lose control of the task.... and in general, after all, they will "do it better."

But is this the right thinking? Of course not. Here are some tips that may show you that delegation should not be avoided:

• Time - estimate whether the time it will take you to complete the task will be longer than explaining to your subordinate how to do it-leave it to yourself only to inspect the actions. Remember that if an employee already knows how to do something, the next time you ask him to do it, there will be no need to explain it again.
• Precision - don't be afraid of mistakes when performing tasks. Unfortunately, they cannot be avoided, but you can try to minimize them. Think through those areas where they may occur and discuss them with your employee. Try to catch those that appeared unexpectedly as soon as possible and provide support to the subordinate in solving them.
• Preferences - take a look at your tasks and consider whether they match your current role and priorities. You may want to delegate some of them to your subordinate, and find new activities yourself that not only match your areas of competence, but will even develop them.
• Control - try to estimate the worst that can happen while someone else is performing your task. List some control points to prevent this pessimistic vision. Control your subordinate at each point, and when you see that everything is going in the right direction gradually empower the employee.

Benefits of delegating tasks

The most important and obvious advantage of delegating work to employees is that the task will get done, and we have time for other duties. But these are not all the benefits of delegation.

• Employee motivation - with more freedom to decide, to carry out challenging and responsible tasks, employees feel more motivated to act. We then allow them to realize the need for self-realization, achievement, independence.
• Managerial development - when the tasks that you already know how to perform and do not cause you difficulties are handed over to others, you can focus on new ones, developing your competencies. Why not test this method you've recently read so much good about and think it's worth implementing in your team?
• Improve the competence of employees - by delegating tasks to subordinates, we use their competence while developing them. In case of urgent situations, during which you are absent for some reason, your employees will be able to make factually correct decisions.

Effective horizontal delegation

Many people think that only a superior can delegate tasks to a subordinate. This is known as vertical delegation. But nowadays there is also horizontal delegation, i.e. delegating some tasks to peers. But how can I give my tasks to someone if I am not his superior?

Today, with the increasing importance of a team working independently, it is important for members to share tasks. However, some may be apprehensive about delegating tasks to colleagues, as they feel that without having "authority" over them, they are not guaranteed to complete it. Here are some examples and tips that may resolve some of these concerns:

• The task won't getdone - remember that when delegating a task, you should get your colleague's explicit agreement and declaration to do it. The responsibility still lies with you, so monitor progress.
• They'll think I'm exalting myself - it's a good idea to determine together whether everyone in the company agrees to horizontal delegation. When delegating a task, formulate it as a request and explain to your colleague why you are specifically asking him/her.
• The task will be done, but poorly - consider competence when choosing the person to whom you will delegate the task. Also make sure she/he understands the purpose and knows the correct way to do it.
• However, it is I who should have done the task - determine with your supervisor which tasks you should perform personally, and which you can safely delegate to others in the team.
• I will overload another person with duties - ask if the person has time to perform your task. If not, look for another with similar competence or perform it yourself.
• The task won't be completed on time-remember to set a deadline after getting approval for the task. Don't forget to monitor progress- the responsibility still lies with you.

Horizontal delegation is a very important process in a company. Managers should support it and assist employees in using the process, creating rules of cooperation and an atmosphere of mutual trust. A company where employees can rely on each other functions more efficiently.

Delegation is not a simple task, it depends on many factors, but over time one can learn to use this process effectively. There are a number of techniques to support it that are worth becoming familiar with.