How to Delegate Tasks Effectively

Delegating workplace tasks can be hard – really hard – especially for SMB leadership teams and entrepreneurs. We’ve likely all experienced horror stories of delegation gone wrong – when you’ve had to redo someone else’s tasks at the 11th hour. During times like this, you experience the opposite of what delegation is supposed to accomplish. Instead of having more time and less stress, your anxiety is through the roof as you scramble to complete the job and hope you don’t make mistakes in your haste.

What is Delegation?

There’s more to delegation than just handing over a task to another employee or outsourcing a functional area. Delegation should be strategic, and it’s most effective when the person taking over the task has some experience and proficiency with the task.

In short, delegation is redirecting work to someone else on your team who has the skills and ability to successfully do the job. When done right, delegation frees up your time so you can focus on high-impact, strategic initiatives. It’s also a simple yet effective way to boost productivity across your SMB

How to Delegate Effectively

When delegating, it’s important that you don’t let perfect be the enemy of good. It’s equally important that you set your teammates up for success. Here are some ways to do so:

• Know your team’s strengths – Understanding where your team members shine and the type of work they enjoy will help you be a more effective delegator. Additionally, ask them what new skills they are interested in learning.

• Identity tasks to delegate – Consider your business goals and priorities. Identify which tasks take precedence and if any require special skills or training. Recurring tasks can be good ones to hand off or automate because they are predictable yet still consume a lot of time.

• Introduce the task clearly and provide guidance – Before sending the team member off and running, be sure to provide an adequate context of the task and give them all the information they need to be successful. Encourage them to ask questions along the way if they encounter roadblocks. Remember there’s a learning curve to every project. Offer feedback and regular check-ins so they are equipped to do the job well.

• Prioritize results – As you train a new person, you may be tempted to think your way is the only way. But if the results are positive, it’s ok if they do something a little differently than you would have done. Give them space to figure things out and work in whichever way they prefer – as long as they produce positive results.

• Give credit where credit is due – Once you’ve verified their work, be sure to give them credit for the work. Being recognized in front of peers or leadership can also be motivating.

Delegating tasks effectively can take some practice and it requires you to trust your team, but it’s also the surest path to improved efficiency and business success.

For more tips to optimize workplace processes, check out our blog and contact us at The OIS Group anytime to learn how outsourced HR solutions can be a boon to your business. We offer clients a full review free of charge so we can find the right solution for them.