Complex Thoughts

Delegation

Delegation is an ethical responsibility you owe to yourself, to those with whom you work, and to your organization. A leader cannot do everything for an organization. There are only so many hours in a day, so many tasks one person can do. Besides, an uninvolved member soon becomes an apathetic, unmotivated member who most likely drops out of the group. A good leader learns to use the skill of delegation to help the organization to its fullest potential.

BENEFITS OF DELEGATION

Leaders	Members	Organization
Allows time for planning Allows time for organizing Allows time for nonorganizational pursuits Teaches valuable lessons in how to work with and develop others Builds trust Enables the leader to multiply himself/herself Enables the leader to work smart and not hard Encourages open communication	Motivates Builds self esteem Encourages creative problem solving Stimulates initiative Trains future leaders Builds trust Builds morale Facilitates communication Stimulates creativity Allows significant contributions	Promotes perpetuation Opens new avenues of creativity Promotes increased productivity Improves overall efficiency and effectiveness Creates team enthusiasm

OBSTACLES TO DELEGATION

Leaders will not delegate because…

They believe the “I can do it better and faster myself” fallacy
They do not know which tasks to delegate
They are afraid people won’t like them if they ask for help
They lack confidence in the member’s ability
They fear a loss of control
They are unwilling to let members make decisions and be held accountable for those decisions
They get personal satisfaction from doing the task themselves

Members will not accept delegation because…

They find it easier to ask the leader than to make a decision by themselves
They do not understand their own level of authority

WHY DELEGATION FAILS

The process is incomplete. Responsibility for the results have been distributed without granting sufficient authority or creating a relationship of accountability.
The leader refuses, consciously or unconsciously, to delegate. The obstacles to delegation are never overcome by the leader or the member.
Delegation is blocked by incomplete or ineffective communication. The leader thinks that he/she has delegated a task, but the member is unaware that delegation has occurred.

FOUR LEADERSHIP ATTRIBUTES NEEDED FOR DELEGATION

A leader must be receptive to other people’s ideas.
A leader must be prepared for and willing to accept mistakes.
A leader must forego the luxury of blowing his/her top.
A leader must exercise great powers of self restraint.

FIVE STEPS IN THE PROCESS OF SUCCESSFUL DELEGATION

Policy guidelines must be clearly stated.
Jobs must be defined.
Goals must be set and agreed upon by members. People support what they help to create.
Two-way communication must be established between the leader and the member.
Feedback systems must be established through effective meetings during the in-between meeting times.

FIVE WAYS TO DELEGATE

Appoint someone.
Assign it to a committee.
Ask for volunteers in a meeting.
Break up the job into logical parts and spread the work to a few people.
Find out your members’ interests, skills and time commitments — then find a task to suit them.

CAUTION

Don’t overload any one person. Spread the responsibilities and get everyone involved.
Don’t delegate only those tasks you dislike or that are very simple.
Don’t overlook the need to constantly train your members.
Don’t look upon delegation as a sign of weakness.

ADAPTED FROM COUGAR CLUES, UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA–MORRIS, AND THUNDAR BOLTS, NORTH DAKOTA STATE UNIVERSITY.