Effective Delegation Skills Are the Mark of a True Leader

Great leaders know management and leadership are a lot like being captain of a sports team. In team sports, it’s not cool if one person hogs the ball -- and at work, it’s not good if one person hoards too many important tasks. If all decision-making and critical tasks are held by one or two people, things will fall through the cracks if one leaves the organization, or gets sick or takes a vacation.Here are some great recent articles and blog posts that will help you learn more about building effective delegation skills.Why You Should Delegate Your Hardest Decisions. Inc.: “Reluctance to give ownership of the tough stuff to your teams indicates a lack of trust toward the people you hired. If you've brought in the right players, you can learn to really trust them to make important decisions for you. By doing so, you empower them in their roles to go beyond what you probably would have ever done yourself. When people feel trusted, they can innovate and progress in their own thinking as they move forward toward a decision, which pulls the company forward as well.”If You Were Gone in Twelve Months. Leadership Freak: “Eliminate, at least gradually, decisions and behaviors that depend exclusively on you. The more essential you are, the more you’re in the way.”Outsource Your Own Job: Learn How to Delegate Effectively. Business.com: “Obviously you want to allot the right responsibilities to the right people with the right skill sets. But find people who are self-starters and entrepreneurial in nature. They’ll take pride in their work and aim to get things done in the most efficient way possible. Be crystal clear about what you expect in terms of results. If you’re handing off your finances, indicate what needs to be managed. Payroll processing and accounts receivable? Or just collections? If you’re handing off social media responsibilities, make sure they understand what’s required- from posting frequencies to reporting. Establish both long-term outcomes and smaller, more immediate goals as well.”When and How to Delegate. TribeHR: “Take the time to think through tasks to be delegated so that they can be properly explained. If desired outcomes are unclear or the limitations of an assignment are fuzzy, chances are the end result will not live up to expectations. While the means of accomplishing a delegated assignment should not be regimented, leaving no room for initiative or independent thought; specifying desired results, lines of authority and deliverables will ensure that things don’t veer too far off track.”The One Task Leaders Should Never Delegate. The Globe and Mail: “The customer moment is that special instant when your most precious asset ‘touches’ your organization. The moment of truth when things will either go brilliantly or horribly wrong. The moment when, based on the outcome, your customer will either decide to continue doing business with you or leave and scream to everyone around them about how terrible you are. This moment requires an active deep-dive by the leader to ensure that the customer is dazzled, smitten, wowed, blown away and left breathless.”Contact us if you’d like to learn how we can help your organization’s leaders learn effective delegation skills and improve their other leadership competencies.Success Labs is a leadership development and management consulting firm in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. For more than 25 years, our expert team of consultants has worked with hundreds of companies to explore their business potential and improve their company and cultural performance. Contact us to get proactive about your people strategy.