Six Steps to effective Delegation

As a leader, your success is dependent upon the success of others. To succeed, you must develop the primary leadership skill of delegation.

1. STEP ONE: Determine Whether to Delegate. First determine if the task is something you, given your role and responsibilities (and time constraints) should do yourself or give to someone else.
   
   
2. STEP TWO: Pick a Person. Identify whom you want to take on the task.
   
   
3. STEP THREE: Evaluate the Competence of the Person. Determine whether the person has both the capability to do the task (knowledge and skill) and the capacity to complete it (time and resources).
   
   
4. STEP FOUR: Establish the Purpose. Identify both the rationale and value of completing the task to your business, your boss, yourself, and to the person doing the task.
   
   
5. STEP FIVE: Communicate to the Team Member. Have a conversation handing off the task and discussing the rationale. If you have no direct authority over the individual, be sure to properly frame the request and value proposition. Consider the experience level of the team member as well as his/her style in order to provide the appropriate level of direction and boundaries for execution. Be clear on the goal (outcome, metric, due date) and answer any questions.
   
   
6. STEP SIX: Follow-Up. Check in periodically to offer help and monitor progress, but don’t hover. Gather ongoing feedback about how they are doing and where they think they can improve. Once complete, evaluate the quality and determine whether the task was completed as outlined.