One absolute necessity for effectively leading a growing environment is the art of delegation. The leader who fails to delegate will inhibit growth of the organization and stifle leadership development of the team.
Delegation is something to be learned and practiced. To get you started, here are 3 tips to delegating effectively:
1. Give Away – You have to start somewhere. Find a project or task you would normally do and give it away to someone. Of course you want to trust the person, but one of the main excuses for not delegating is an issue of control. If you want to be an effective delegator you eventually have to trust someone else to complete a task.
2. Be purposeful – There are lots of good reasons to delegate. Having a purpose will help you wrap your arms around the process of delegating. A few reasons I delegate:
-
It clears my desk and allows me to focus on other tasks
-
To give other opportunities and develop his or her leadership
-
It enhances teamwork
-
To improve efficiency – Some people can do parts of my job better than I can
3. Let go – Never give responsibility without authority. Check back with those you have delegated to, but don’t micro-manage their efforts.
I encourage you to repeat the process often. It will make you a better leader, your team a better team and your organization a better organization.
