The Value of Delegating Well

By Terre Short

It is very routine for a client to express feeling overwhelmed. Right after I ask about how they prioritize their wellbeing, what they calendar for themselves each day, I ask about delegation habits. I find that most leaders have interesting beliefs around delegation. So, we start here. I ask what concerns them about delegating, how they perceive delegating reflects on them…and related probing questions. Perhaps from experience with those above them, the beliefs I hear range from delegating being a form of “dumping” what the leader does not wish to do, to it seeming a sign of weakness to “have to ask” someone else to do something. We need to fix this. Delegation has huge value.

Mutual Benefits of Delegation

In today’s fast-paced, highly demanding work environments, effective delegation is an essential skill for leaders. With multiple priorities competing for our attention, it’s impossible to accomplish everything ourselves. Delegation allows us to distribute work, empower others, and operate more efficiently. Research shows that appropriately delegating tasks has many benefits, here are a few:

• Freeing up the time and mental bandwidth of leaders who can then focus on high-level strategic goals.
• Developing employees’ skills and preparing them for advancement by giving them accountability and opportunity to take on new challenges.
• Increasing productivity and collaboration across teams when work is distributed effectively.
• Promoting innovation and problem-solving skills in employees who are given more autonomy.
• Improving morale and job satisfaction when employees feel trusted and supported in their development. (1)

Delegation not only benefits the leader and the organization, but also gives direct reports growth opportunities they crave. In a recent survey by Harvard Business Review, 94% of high-performing employees said they want to learn new skills and take on more responsibility. In the HBR article, “What High Performers Want at Work” this quote sums up the value to the employee and the organization: “’My manager keeps me because with every assignment she gives me, she also tells me what new thing I am going to learn by doing it.’ Just the simple act of telling people how they will benefit from doing a task or assignment can motivate people to stay.” (1). Delegation meets this need for achievement and self-actualization.

Best Practices for Effective Delegation

For employees to truly grow and thrive from being delegated to, the process should be handled strategically. Here are eight considerations for leaders to delegate well, curated from several SHRM resources, mainly Sam Lloyd’s article, “Managers Must Delegate Effectively to Develop Employees.” (2):

1. Assess capabilities and bandwidth of each team member before delegating a task to them. Match the complexity and workload of the assignment to the individual’s skills and capacity.
2. Clearly communicate expectations, deadlines, and scope. Check for understanding.
3. Resist the urge to micromanage. Empower team members with autonomy and trust their capability.
4. Provide opportunities for input, feedback and collaborative problem solving.
5. Give timely, specific feedback on performance that acknowledges strengths and offers guidance on improvement.
6. Express confidence in their abilities to boost their self-efficacy.
7. Be available to answer questions and provide mentorship. Check in regularly.
8. Thank team members for taking on responsibilities and discuss lessons learned upon completion.

The Power of “No” as Delegation

An often-overlooked form of delegation is saying “no” to additional tasks and responsibilities when our plates are already full. Just as we delegate to others at work when appropriate, we need to “delegate” to ourselves by setting healthy boundaries around our personal time and energy. Saying “no” makes space for us to devote focused attention to our most essential priorities and roles, both personal and professional (3). Learning when and how to politely, yet firmly, decline overload enables us to be productive without burnout and enjoy greater life-work balance.

In a Fast Company article, Stephanie Vozza provides these suggestions on the art of saying “no” (4):

• When asked to take something new on, pause and assess if you can truly accomplish it well and on time given your current commitments. Consider your big picture goals.
• Decline promptly, politely and with gratitude rather than hemming and hawing. For example, “I appreciate you thinking of me for this, but my bandwidth is quite full right now.”
• Suggest an alternative person or solution. “I’m swamped this month, but Charice has great project management skills so she would be an excellent fit.”
• If it’s your supervisor asking, explain specifically how the additional assignment would impact your existing workload and ability to meet current deadlines.
• Reframe “no” as you taking care of yourself and your priorities. It’s about empowered self-management, not selfishness.

Learning to delegate effectively, as well as saying “no” effectively, are indispensable skills for prioritizing your life well – work and your wellbeing. By distributing tasks purposefully, and being selective about taking on additional responsibilities, we create space for both our own and our teams’ growth, productivity, and life-work balance. The value of our attention and effort multiplies exponentially when focused strategically.

References:

1. Harvard Business Review, “What High Performers Want at Work.” Karie Willyerd
2. SHRM, “Managers Must Delegate Effectively to Develop Employees.” Sam Lloyd
3. Harvard Business Review, 2020 podcast with Bruce Tuglan “ The Subtle Art of Saying No”
4. Fast Company, “This Is What You Should Say Instead Of “No” At Work” Stephanie Vozza