An important part of leadership is delegation. Conscious leadership means knowing that you can’t take everyone on yourself. Not only will it cause burnout and a lack of work life balance, but it takes opportunity away from your team. Each task thoughtfully delegated is an opportunity for your talent to learn, grow, and shine. Not all delegation is effective delegation, and knowing the difference between the two is crucial to doing things right.
What is delegation? In short, delegation refers to the transfer of one task from one person to another. Your team has a large project, and a compassionate leader will consider the tasks associated with this project and delegate them to the most appropriate parties. Effective delegation maximizes productivity, eliminates burnout, and gets the best results by assigning specific tasks to the most skilled individuals.
The first step in effective delegation is to practice letting go. For some leaders, even compassionate leaders, this can be tough at first. It can take a lot of trust to let go and believe in your team, even if you know the talents they possess. If you’re not used to delegation, start first by handing off smaller tasks and see for yourself that you can trust the team you’re with.
One of the most important things you can do when delegating effectively is to identify and prioritize. First list out each task you plan to delegate, and then identify the skills necessary to excel at that task. Align those skills with the talent on your team and consider which team members would be best suited for which tasks. At Technalink, we encourage breaking down projects by task and brainstorming which tasks would be best suited to different individuals, their goals, and their talents.
Lastly, there is nothing wrong with providing guidance as long as that guidance doesn’t turn into micromanagement. Accept honest and open feedback from your team so you can be sure you’re providing valuable insight, not unnecessary distraction or stress.
Leave a Reply