Leadership Development News Roundup: Effective Delegation Skills Edition

Delegating tasks to those around you is an essential aspect of successful leadership, yet many leaders don’t do it enough, don’t do it well, or don’t do it at all. They may worry about overloading their team members, believe the training will take too long, or don’t want to be perceived as slacking. These fears are often unfounded, however. Team members want to help. They want to learn new skills and be seen as valuable team players.Strong leaders get work done through others, tackle fewer tasks themselves and focus more on strategy and vision. To help you and your colleagues do this better, this week’s Leadership Development News Roundup brings you a collection of articles and blog posts with advice on developing effective delegation skills.

• The 8 Delegation Myths Of The Office. Careerealism: “I don’t delegate because people already have too much on their plates. The reason they have too much is because of improper management. And the reason they’re being improperly managed is likely because you’re too busy trying to do your own work. Delegating is all about efficiency and synergy. With proper delegation, you’ll be able to get more done as a team than you each would individually.”

• The Why and How of Effective Delegation? Vantage Point: “Why is it critical for senior management to delegate? Firstly, the routine work can be passed on to subordinates and you can concentrate on high-priority tasks. Secondly, it will allow your team members to gain experience of work related to a senior position.”

• 9 Tips to Become a More Effective Delegator. LiquidPlanner: “Be clear on directions and deadlines. Don’t delegate anything that you can’t precisely describe. Talk through the important points that need to be addressed. Outline what needs to be accomplished and provide a clear outcome frame—when do you know that the work is done?”

• How to Delegate Effectively - Part 2. The Buzz on #HR: “Another thing to consider is the position of the person respective to you. Delegation happens laterally or down. Never up. I’m sorry to be the one to break it to you but delegating upward is just whining. It demonstrates lack of accountability, creativity, resilience and vigor. Do not do it.”

• Workspace Manager: Do You Know How To Delegate? iOffice: “While many of us believe we are good at delegating responsibilities, London Business School Professor John Hunt reveals that approximately 30% of managers feel they delegate well, and of those, only 1 in 3 is considered a good delegator by his/her subordinates. This means only one in ten managers really know how to empower those around them.”

Let us know if you’d like our help coaching your leaders in effective delegation skills and other essential 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.