Delegation is the process of distributing and entrusting work to another person. It involves a manager or supervisor assigning specific tasks to their employees. The goal of delegation is to efficiently distribute work, decision-making, and responsibility to subordinate workers in an organization. Delegation may result in the creation of an accountable chain of authority where authority and responsibility move down in an organizational structure. Inefficient delegation may lead to micromanagement.
There are several reasons why someone may decide to delegate, including freeing themselves up to do other tasks, having the most qualified person making the decisions, seeking another qualified persons perspective on an issue, and developing someone elses ability to handle additional assignments judiciously and successfully.
Delegation is widely accepted as an essential element of effective management. However, some managers may shy away from delegating work due to various reasons such as thinking it would take longer to explain the task than actually completing it themselves, wanting to feel indispensable to their team by being the keeper of specific knowledge, enjoying completing certain projects so prefer not to reassign them, feeling guilty about adding more work onto another employee’s to-do list, lacking confidence or trust in who they need to transfer the project to, and believing that they’re the only ones who can do the job right. Refusing to delegate can have negative consequences, such as overloading ones schedule, prioritizing the wrong tasks, and depriving employees of valuable learning and growth opportunities.
Delegation is a critical skill in managing effectively. It brings into play many management functions such as planning, organizing, coordinating, motivating, communicating, and leading. By delegating properly, a supervisor can teach employees new skills and expertise to help them be more productive and instill a sense of self-reliance, improving morale and motivation.
