It has often been said that satisfactory results are achieved by the symbiosis of both the manager’s and subordinate’s skills. One perfect example of this principle can be seen in the process of delegating. Assigning tasks to a subordinate may seem such as simple, straightforward task. However, every manager knows that once the number of subordinates and tasks increase, delegating often becomes more tedious and complex.
There are a number of specialized software products available in the market today that make dissemination of tasks easier. Nevertheless, the effectiveness of defining the task and determining the person to delegate it to in order to achieve optimal results rests on the skill of the manager. In this article, you will find the fundamental processes that a manager must follow to ensure that tasks are delegated efficiently.
- Assess the training or background of your subordinates. Review the competencies of your subordinate. Even if you assign a highly productive employee to a task he is not trained for, the results of the task will most likely be less than satisfactory.
- A person normally needs to have done a similar task two to three times to produce good results. Make it a point to ensure that your employee have enough training to perform the task. If not, provide training or delegate the task to someone else.
- Articulate the task and the resources available. Ask yourself, “What is it exactly that you want?” State your desired outcome in a brief directive. A single sentence that contains the concrete form of the output and its content is normally sufficient.
- Ensure that you provide the conditions the subordinate needs to accomplish the task. Provide the necessary information about the data, contact points and logistical resources he will need. Clarify the terms about overtime work, financial backing and other resources the task may require.
- Indicate the standard. State the basis by which the task will be evaluated. This ensures that the subordinate knows what is expected of him. If you will use any specific metric to evaluate the output, make sure that you inform the subordinate. This provides the subordinate a standard by which to measure the completeness and suitability of his work.
- Summarize in a brief paragraph. One to two concise paragraphs is normally enough to communicate the necessary information clearly. Always put the name of the subordinate and the concrete outputs you demand in the first sentence.
Insert the resources you will provide and the terms of usage in the second sentence. Indicate the general timeframe and by which the task needs to be completed in the final sentence. Formatting your directive in this manner immediately gives the subordinate a clear idea of the task.
Keep in mind that a subordinate that understands his task always perform better than one that doesn’t. Always be fair in delegating tasks by ensuring that you provide achievable goals, enough resources and workable deadlines. After all, it is in your mutual advantage that the task at hand is fulfilled in the most efficient manner.
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