6 Steps to Effective Delegation (Part 3 of 6)

3. Share and clarify the big picture.

Employees should understand the big picture. In many workshops that I deliver I ask participants if they know the mission statement of their organization. Perhaps not surprising is that very few have any idea about the mission statement.

Knowing and understanding the mission statement gives employees a sense of purpose and helps solidify direction and desired outcomes during delegation efforts. Employees who know and understand the mission of the organization will be better positioned to tackle projects, assignments, and day-to-day job duties. When they encounter unexpected problems it reinforces the purpose giving them a better approach to problem solving.

During delegation efforts employees should be clear on the expected outcomes of a task or assignment and how this assignment aligns with the broader organization strategies. Throughout the course of a project it is beneficial to continually monitor the path and progress to be sure this alignment continues. An opportunity to monitor is presented when we establish meaningful timelines and milestones.

6 Steps to Effective Delegation (Part 2 of 6)

2. Have you clearly defined the expectations?

During delegation efforts do you clearly define the expectations? Employees may be unable to be successful and typically are not as motivated if they are unclear of the expectations for carrying out job tasks or duties.

Supervisors and managers may sometimes feel great disappointment and confusion about why delegated tasks fail to get completed in a timely, accurate, or otherwise appropriate manner. In some cases management is not delegating effectively. Effective delegation includes a clear and concise definition of the expectations. This problem can be amplified if the supervisor believes that they have been clear and concise but the employee who has received the assignment is still unclear. Perhaps worse yet if they believe they are clear but have interpreted the communication differently the results could be very unfavorable. Of course, we sometimes we call this – miscommunication.

Effective delegation must include clearly defined expectations. To help solidify the transfer of job tasks or duties consider these helpful hints:

   - Ask questions to ensure understanding
   - Ask for reflection back about the objectives of the project or task
   - Use effective listening approaches
   - Watch or monitor the work as the employee begins

Delegation represents one of the keys to leadership success. Leaders should always be sure to share and clarify the big picture.

6 Steps to Effective Delegation (Part 1 of 6)

1. Give the Whole Task

Supervisors and employees alike often cringe at the thought of the word - delegation. I believe it ranks second in leadership bingo to the word “change.” What is so difficult about delegation? Many would quickly reply that it has something to do with trust. Trust that it will be completed timely and without errors or problems, not only because it has to be, but also because the supervisor needs to feel confident that the employees are competent. Trust, accuracy, confidence, and competence - the point that I am making here is that there are many difficulties, many of them emotional in nature, that prevent otherwise great supervisors (read leaders) from being effective delegators.

The first and perhaps most important step in delegation is - giving the whole task. When we give the whole task the person feels a sense of ownership and responsibility. Once given (read delegated) that responsibility we have sent a message that says “I trust you to do this work.” In healthy organizations this motivates and energizes the employee. It then becomes the responsibility of the employee to fulfill the job duties. Lack of fulfilling their job duties would of course indicate that they are not a fully performing employee – they are something less.

How do we know if they are fully performing? Have you clearly defined the expectations?

Integrity vs. Loyalty

What is integrity? What is loyalty? How do you measure up with workplace integrity and loyalty? What are the differences?

First let me give my opinion about some of the differences. Integrity may represent feeling an obligation to perform in an ethical manner. Here are some examples of workplace integrity:

    * Good attendance record
    * Committed to assignments and duties
    * Performing the role of your job description
    * Practicing generally accepted principles
    * Willfully sharing information and ideas

Loyalty may mean that you stay committed to the culture, environment, and organization regardless of ethics, morals, or values and beliefs. Examples of workplace loyalty could include:

    * Supporting mission and objectives
    * Committed to using your workplace time wisely
    * Supporting decisions or changes
    * Appropriately following the “chain-of-command”
    * Promoting goodwill about the organization both on and off the job

Considering these differences what is your personal position on integrity and loyalty in the workplace? Perhaps more important is what “should” be your position? In the workplace we often walk a fine line with both integrity and loyalty. Do you struggle with integrity and loyalty in your workplace role or organization?

Visibility vs. Credibility

Many leaders contemplate how visible they are in the scope of their area of influence. Have you considered visibility as compared to credibility? Both visibility and credibility are recognized as forms of positive influence or power in leadership roles. Visibility results from behaviors that are physically visible, typically considered to be external attributes. Credibility on the other hand results from behaviors that give a person influence and are typically considered internal attributes.

As leaders the goal should be to master the art of being both seen and heard. Be both visible and credible. Successful leaders master behaviors that allow them to be both physically seen by others and have appropriate influence on others. Leaders who master the balance of visibility and credibility are trusted and believed in by others.

How visible and credible are you in the scope of your leadership role?