Do important tasks “slip through the cracks” in your organisation? Do individuals or teams duplicate work, or resent each other because “someone is doing my job”? Are there people sitting around waiting to be told what to do? Are others frustrated because they know what they should be doing, but need someone’s permission?

If you experience one or more of these issue, you may want to think carefully about how work gets delegated in your organisation.

In a previous article I said that governance = 'how things get done around here'.

If governance is the how, then delegation = 'who does what around here?'

This may sound boring to some, but it's been my observation that the ability to delegate is at the heart of making your organisation function efficiently. Delegation is how we turn strategy and planning into actually getting the work done. If everyone knows what they are meant to do, to what standard and by when, then, like a good sports team, you have a winning formula.

Guiding principles

• If you delegate authority, you must also delegate responsibility. Often managers don’t like to 'let go' but an employee can’t work efficiently if that employee can’t make decisions, and authorise what is necessary to get things done.
• Be absolutely clear on the work/task/project delegated. You can be sure difficulties and disputes will arise over what was agreed if it is not clear, detailed and written down.  Check, and check again that there is a common understanding.
• Make the necessary resources available. There is no point in delegating work if those responsible do not have the transport/money/material or skills available. It just breeds anxiety and resentment.
• Agree on milestones or checkpoints. No-one wants to get a whole lot of work done, and then be told right at the end that it was done all wrong.
• Be available to provide support. A genuinely open door, and an atmosphere of trust means that staff will look for support early in the process, rather than try to do something and fail because the manager is just not available to give guidance.  

The instruments of delegation 

• Delegation of authority. Any organisation with a board should have a document clearly spelling out the role of the board, and the authority it delegates to the CEO and her executive team.

• Job description and annual performance plan. Every staff member should have a job description that clearly spells out the kind of work expected of the individual. The annual performance plan links the job description to the organisation’s plan for the year, spelling out the specific projects, tasks or focal areas for this particular work cycle.

• Regular check ins and ad hoc delegations. It is completely certain that plans will change during the year. It is particularly important that new work delegated to individuals and teams is carefully described, agreed and confirmed in writing.

Additional thoughts

Effective delegation builds trust. Trust grows when people know what they should do and are left to get it done but can ask for help when needed. As people succeed their confidence grows and management can trust them with more.

Delegating tasks to staff members that are beyond their job description and performance agreement is a good way to see who is really keen to grow and willing to go that 'extra mile'. If supported with training, this becomes an excellent method for identifying the next generation of leaders.  Such opportunities must obviously be offered fairly and not only to favoured members of staff. You will get the best out of a team if you make the best use of their strengths.

All organisations divide up work amongst staff members.  Or, at least they try to. The trick is in doing so clearly,  systematically, and thoughtfully. Successful delegation will contribute greatly to organisational efficiency and staff satisfaction levels.

Photo by Desola Lanre-Ologun on Unsplash