Become a Wily Manager member and get instant access to even more information about Delegation.  And don’t forget to sign up for our FREE Management Cheat Sheet Collection.

As a manager, you should delegate because:

• It helps develop other people’s skills and abilities
• It frees you up to do the work that only you can/should do
• It makes good business sense

Why do many managers not delegate?

• Delegating takes some up-front work so it seems easier to just do it yourself
• Some managers are control freaks
• Some managers see it as asking for help which they perceive as weak
• Some managers feel badly about passing on their work to others

What managers should delegate:

• Tasks that someone else could do
• Tasks that would contribute to building your team
• Tasks that are organizationally appropriate to delegate

Use the Wily Manager Delegation Worksheet to list and plan potential tasks and duties that you could delegate.

How to delegate:

Consider the Context

• What is the work you are delegating?
• Why are you delegating this work?
• How is this work important to the bigger picture?

Clarify

• Clarify the desired outcomes and expectations
• Clarify constraints, boundaries, and resources

Create

• Where possible, empower the individual to contribute their ideas as to how the work will get done
• Create the plan together

Commit

• Get commitment and alignment to specific timelines, due dates, reviews, follow up meetings, measures of success etc.

Close

• Wrap it up and express support and confidence in the individual

Learn Even More About ‘Delegation’

Wily Manager members, click here to access the members-only area for this topic (you must be logged in).  In the members-only area, you can:

• Listen to the ‘Delegation’ Podcast (15 minutes)
• Download the ‘Delegation’ Audio (mp3)
• Download the ‘Delegation’ Slides (ppt)
• Print or save the ‘Delegation’ Cheat Sheet (pdf)
• Click through to Related Topics:
  • Good Boss, Bad Boss: Be a Better Boss
  • Top 10 Manager Challenges: Part B (Managing Stress)
  • How to Coach When You’re Not the Expert
  • Time and Priority Management
  • High Impact Development
  • Help! I’m a Micro Manager
  • The von Manstein Matrix
  • The Situational Leadership Model

Not a member yet? Join us now and get instant access! For more information about the advantages of becoming a Wily Manager member, visit Become a Member.

Become a Wily Manager member and get instant access to even more information about Delegation.  And don’t forget to sign up for our FREE Management Cheat Sheet Collection