Delegation: Getting

Work Done Through

Others

Overview
As managers one of the most useful skills to master is the ability to successfully
get work done by delegating to others. Delegation doesnt mean abdicating
responsibility but instead requires you to have trust and confidence in the abilities
of your team and a commitment to developing the skills of individual team
members. In this module you will learn more about the benefits of delegation,
whats needed for effective delegation and how to address obstacles to effective
delegation. By the end of the module, youll know more about how to determine
what and when to delegate and to whom.

Objectives of This Module

By the end of this module, you will be able to:

Understand the importance of delegation and what it means to effectively

delegate.

Increase your ability to delegate including identifying what and when to

delegate and to whom.

Apply effective methods for holding yourself and others accountable for the
expectations and end result of projects and tasks youve delegated.

Better identify obstacles to delegation in yourself and in others.

Understand how to delegate to develop the skills, abilities and experience of

your teams.

SECTION ONE
Getting Work Done Through Others

You can delegate authority, but not responsibility.

Stephen W. Comiskey

Getting Work Done Through Others

Making the Most of Your Relationships
It is easy for managers and supervisors to get caught up in the daily grind of
meetings, due dates, process requirements and forget that, in the end, it all
comes down to people. In the end, people do the work. When managers and
supervisors have healthy relationships with their staff, they are able to easily use
their influence to get things done.

Winning the Race: Its All in the Hand-off

The metaphor we use in this module is the passing of the baton in a relay race.
There was an American team in the Olympics some years ago that was heavily
favored to win. Indeed, their individual
times were mostly the fastestbut they
ended up with the silver medal, beaten by
When you do things
a team with slightly slower speeds but
yourself, you are a
flawless handoffs. This section aims to
help you win that gold medal.
technician; when you

get things done through

others, you are a
manager.

Lawrence Appley,
American Management Association

Why Arent You

Delegating?
Are you doing things that direct reports
should actually be doing? If the answer is
yes, you need to ask yourself why.

Time stays long enough

for those who use it.
Leonardo Da Vinci

Here are some common reasons

managers dont delegate work to others:

They have been/are in crisis mode

They dont realize the benefits of delegating

They believe others will mess up the work or others wont do it right

They feel its faster to do the work themselves

Are you refraining from delegating because of any of the above reasons? Are there
advanced or tenured members of your team that are looking for growth and
development but dont feel they are getting this development?

Group Discussion:
What stops you from delegating? What do you need in order to delegate more?

If you are not currently delegating, consider the following

Benefits of Delegating
Managers who delegate lessen their immediate workloads and better manage their
competing tasks, responsibilities and deadlines. This improves effectiveness as a
manager and helps with stress management as well. Delegation also reinforces a
culture of learning and allows for the increased confidence and self-esteem of your
team.
Letting Go of Perfectionism
Just because someone else may not do a task the same way as you, does not
mean his or her way is less effective or wrong. As long as the end results meet
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the stated expectations and are within your organizational boundaries, allow
people the flexibility to get the job done. Your team will have the chance to develop
their problem solving and critical thinking skills by taking on new tasks and
projects. Additionally, those close to the work often have better, more creative
ideas for how to get the work done and will be more invested in the group
outcomes if given the appropriate opportunities. Mistakes may be made but
managers have the opportunity to provide feedback and catch mistakes early on
before problems get bigger.
Delegating is Developing Your Team
Review your list of tasks and responsibilities and search for something you can
delegate that will fit with a team members level of authority and allows them the
opportunity to learn and stretch. Not only does this lighten your load, you are
helping your staff to be accountable for the work that is theirs and to develop new
competencies that will support their growth and mobility within the organization.
Delegation is an effective coaching method for building staff skills. During the
process of delegation, you can provide a concrete learning opportunity and test
someones ability to take on new challenges while still providing oversight,
feedback and support.

Delegation: What It Is and Isnt

Understanding what delegation is (and isnt) is just as important as understanding
and developing your relationships. This understanding can guide you during the
process of determining what to delegate, when to delegate and to whom to
delegate.
Delegation IS:
1. Choosing productivity: To be an effective leader you must accept the reality
that you cannot do and accomplish everything expected of you without help
from others. Delegation provides the means to meet your obligations by
identifying and prioritizing tasks and projects you must complete versus what
you can get done through others by delegating.
2. Better management of work tasks & responsibilities: By delegating, you
free up your time to focus on the tasks and projects that can only be done by
you.
3. Trusting and having confidence in your team: Effectively leading your team
includes trusting their skills and experience and having confidence in their
ability to meet the shared goals of the team and the larger organization.

4. Developing skills, ability and experience of others on your team: When

you delegate the right tasks and projects to the correct people, you allow
individuals on your team to develop their knowledge and skills and to improve
their ability to contribute more greatly to the team and organization.
Delegation ISNT:
1. Abdicating responsibility: In the end, no matter what and to whom youve
delegated the work, you are still ultimately responsible for the outcome and for
ensuring the end result is satisfactory.
2. Dumping work on others: Others on your team can not get the work done
well if you dont spend the time to properly train them in the tasks, review the
expected results and provide them the proper amount of authority and
responsibility to get the work done.
3. Micromanaging: Once youve taken care of the training, expectations and
authority/responsibility of the delegated task give the person the freedom to
determine the how of getting the work done. If youve set the proper
boundaries and expectations and chosen the right person, micromanagement
shouldnt be needed.
4. Just checking in at the end: Connected with proper training and defined
expectations is regular communication. If you dont check in regularly to find out
how the delegated work is progressing, you send the message its not really a
priority for you. Avoiding micromanagement does not mean waiting till the end
to learn what work is being accomplished.

The Hand-Off
Delegation is how you make good hand-offs to your staff and others. Your success
is tied to their success.

Know to whom youre handing the baton

Understand and manage the control/trust dilemma

Ensure a successful hand-off

A key to making a good hand-off of the baton is to know what kind of person
will be taking it from you. Failure to gauge the person accurately may result in a
miscue that is costly to the project and perhaps even the relationship.
For example, assuming that a staff person is more ready than he is, a manager
may slow down too soon and send the person racing away without the baton. In
this case, the baton represents the knowledge of what to do and how to do it well.

Conversely, a supervisor may be micromanagingor crashing into the other

personwho has only just begun to take off.
How do you know when someone is ready to take off with the baton?
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________

The Trust-Control Dilemma

When difficulties arise with delegation, the problem usually lies in the trustcontrol dilemma. In any managerial situation, the sum of trust + control is always
constant. An increase in control by the manager, for example, leads to a drop in
trust by the employee. An increase in trust of the employee, leads to a drop in the
control by the manager. As a result, successful managers are continually
assessing the balance to see where any adjustments are needed (Charles Handy,
Understanding Organizations).
Good managers recognize that effective delegation is a two-way street. Your
staff trusts you to be fair in your delegation of assignments and to give them the
resources they need to complete their assigned tasks. You trust your staff to keep
you informed of any factors that threaten their progress.
Delegation involves more than giving the responsibility for a task to
someone else. That person must accept the task, have the authority to get the
task done, and commit to achieving the task. How well delegated tasks are
completed will influence the trust-control dynamics of later hand-offs and your
ongoing relationship.
Successful delegation within your organization leads to improved
collaboration. When a culture of collaboration is in place, you are willing to give
up some control and you are well on your way to a healthy trust-control balance.

The Delegation ARC

Once a task is delegated, you both still have the responsibility for its completion, so
work with the employee to determine a follow-up process. This mutual agreement
is called the Delegation ARC (To Do, Doing, Done, G. L. Snead & J. Wycoff).

The three components of the Delegation ARC are as follows. If any of these
elements is missing, your delegation will likely be unsuccessful.
AuthorityThe person doing the task must have the authority to accomplish it,
especially if it requires extra resources, time, or flexibility.
ResponsibilityResponsibility for the end result is shared by both parties.
CommitmentThe person who accepts the task commits to achieving the end
result in the agreed-upon time frame.
It is critical to fulfill all three elements of the Delegation ARC. Without clear
divisions of whos to do what and by when, problems of overlapping activities,
redundancy, inefficiency, confusion, frustration and demoralization can occur.
Effective delegation is not the same as dump and run, or abdication of
responsibility. Clearly understood responsibilities, with accountability for
continued accessibility, assistance and evaluation creates a synergistic
environment that can potentially optimize performance and productivity for both
parties.
A major hurdle can present in the delegation process when the delegated task is
returned to you due to questions, concerns, obstacles to completion, etc. In other
words, for whatever reasons, the task is being given back unfinished.
Weve all heard the refrain, I should have done it myself! There is a tactic
to help turn it back around. Simply, refuse to take the task back. By fixing
the problems yourself, you are denying the one youve delegated to valuable
learning opportunities and you are foiling your own attempts to master empowered
delegation. Listen to the obstacles, ask questions, brainstorm possible solutions,
determine what, if any, instructions were vague and ultimately reassign the task
with an updated timeline, if necessary. A wise boss once told me, when I was
unconsciously trying to return a task undone Sounds like youve got a
problem. What do you plan to do about it?

Individual Exercise: Using the ARC Model

Apply the ARC model to a recent delegation that was successful and to one that
ultimately disappointed you. How were they different from each other?
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________

Group Discussion
When the Delegation ARC breaks down in your delegation process, at which point
does it do so Authority, Responsibility or Commitment?
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________

Using the Principles of Effective Delegation to Achieve

Completed Staff Work
The principle of completed staff work is that you are able to delegate a problem or
assignment to a member or members of your team and they are able to think
through it entirely, analyze the issue in depth, identify several alternatives, the
consequences of those alternatives, and then finally recommend one of them. This
saves you time, and gives you the latitude to focus on other issues, opportunities
and challenges that are central to your role as a leader.
Effective managers ask their staff to think through problems and issues and bring
in recommendations. This practice prompts people to plumb their own resources
and put together a specific final recommendation that represents their best
thinking. If the manager approves it, all that remains is implementation of the
decision or the recommended plan of action.

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Besides saving the manager time, completed staff work stops people from copping
out in the name of group think or lets get together and talk it over. It forces
them to use critical thinking.

Steps for Completed Staff Work

1. Provide a clear understanding of the desired results. Once a person knows this
they can be set free to work independently or with others to meet a particular
deadline, bring a final recommendation of what the alternatives are, what the
decision should be, and why. All details must be thoroughly digested and finalized.

2. Give a clear sense of what level of initiative you expect. You need to make clear
whether they are to make a recommendation, do the work and report immediately, or
do the work and report periodically.

3. Clarify assumptions. If people want early feedback from you to make sure theyre
not going in the wrong direction, they should bring in their understanding of your
assumptions before completing the work. If they dont clarify assumptions up front,
they could head up a blind alley and bring in a recommendation only to have you
say, You didnt understand what I was asking for.

4. Provide as much time, resources and access as possible. Nothing is more

frustrating than the expectation of doing completed work without the necessary
information and resources. If you face a genuine crisis and simply dont have much
time to respond, clearly communicate these conditions.

5. Set a time and place for presenting and reviewing the work. Give your people a
chance to make an effective presentation of their work. Be sure to ask: Does this
represent the best alternatives and ideas? Is this the best recommendation or
alternative you came up with? Is there anything that can be improved?

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SECTION TWO
Essential Tools For Successful
Delegation

Conductors of great symphony orchestras do not play every

musical instrument; yet through leadership, the production is an
expressive and unified combination of tones.
-Thomas D. Bailey

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Managing Delegation
As you may have already gathered, delegation is not a singular instance. Instead, it is a
process that involves various management skills. In this section, we cover some
additional tools you can use in your process of delegating, including:

Defining expectations by understanding how to create accountable agreements

Developing coaching skills to manage delegated work by providing proper

feedback and recognizing employee efforts and success

Avoiding some common pitfalls of delegating

Accountable Agreements
Making Accountable Requests
When delegating, remember that how you assign work and define expectations can
significantly impact the outcomes. One way to influence and motivate others to meet
expectations is to ask for things, or make requests, in a way that holds them
accountable to you. As leaders, you need your staff to see themselves as key players in
meeting your departments work objectives and being accountable for the delegated
work. Asking for the right things in the right way can be a powerful tool for influencing
others to get things done together.
When making requests of others in your agency, you need to ask yourself:

What does making an accountable request mean in our context?

When Im developing objectives and defining an employees assignment, am I

making an accountable request?

Am I defining how I will hold the employee and myself accountable during the
course of the delegated task or project?

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Steps to Making Accountable Requests

Step

Action

Approach

Assess the person and the

situation.

Is this the right person, time, place?

Define the result you want to

achieve.

Do I know what I really want? Am I clear about my

intentions and outcomes? The benefits and costs? Am
I ready to make my request in a clear and honest
way?

Ask for what you want.

Have I defined expectations and measurable

outcomes? Have I helped create conditions and
expectations for success? Are we prepared for nonperformance?

Invite a commitment.

Do we have clear agreements? Has my staff engaged

me in the agreements?

It is very difficult to find closure and resolution to a situation if there isnt a clear
agreement. Good agreements provide direction when there is a dispute about
something. Good agreements also help to build trust.
Making agreements with others is the basis for accountability because they make the
connection between our intentions and our actions.

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Exercise: Making Accountable Requests

Instructions:
1. Decide on a request that you need to make of one of your staff members to
delegate a task or project to them.
2. Use the steps for making accountable requests and practice making the request
with peers.
3. Keep working through the process until you are sure you have arrived at a clear
accountable request.
4. Be prepared to provide a debrief of your discussion with the full group.
Step

Action

Approach

Assess the
person and the
situation.

I am going to delegate a task to:

The reason this is the right person, time, place is:

Define the
result you
want to
achieve.

What are my expectations about outcomes?

How will we know when we are done/successful?

What will we do if there are problems/issues and the task cannot be

completed?

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Step

Action

Approach

Ask for what

you want.

What is the task?

What are my responsibilities? How will I support success?

Invite a
commitment.

Ask for questions or clarification needed.

Invite the person to commit to the outcome. I will ask by saying:

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Coaching for Delegation Success

Effective managers possess good coaching skills and focus on cooperation and
facilitation of employee development. Coaching involves creating a comfortable
environment in which managers and employees can focus on giving and receiving
feedback and creating action plans for developing beyond the current level of
competency and performance. The process of delegating work provides managers
many opportunities to coach employees through new learning and successful
outcomes.

Effective Communication
Managing an employee during the delegation process requires clear and consistent
communication. Specifically, remember to:

Spend time developing an accountable agreement about the work that will be
done, expected outcomes and required deadlines. Also discuss preferred
methods of reporting progress or other check-ins.

Actively listen to your employees concerns and provide them the ability to ask
questions.

Giving Feedback
Feedback is useful and often invaluable information that tells people how theyre
doing and inspires people to act. The purpose of giving feedback is to help
employees continually improve their performance. How well do you use feedback to
help employees perform at their best? Giving feedback is a way of helping employees to
consider changing their behavior. Feedback is most effective when used as part of a
frequent, ongoing dialogue between you and those you manage.
The Dos of Feedback

Actively demonstrate how things can be done in alternative ways.

Follow up with employees to see how they are progressing. Build milestones or
checkpoints into the schedule of any program.

Give employees a context in which to think about a situation. Use analogies and
metaphors to explain what you mean.
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Offer new insights into old challenges or issues.

Show support and appreciation when employees do things differently and show
improvement. Help employees focus and build on their successes.

Provide concrete and specific examples. Use a straight-talk approach.

Recognize and celebrate individual and team successes when they occur.

The Donts of Feedback

Avoid jargon, descriptions that are pompous or vague, and judgmental language,
which puts employees on the defensive.

Avoid giving destructive feedback or comments.

Avoid trying to build a case by linking one particular situation to other situations.

Avoid speculating on motives. Instead, check your assumptions.

Giving Recognition
When delegating, dont forget to celebrate an employees success. If they completed a
task or project within the specified outcomes and timeline, acknowledging this goes a
long way towards encouraging continued successful behaviors and actions.
Additionally, simple rewards (thank you notes/emails, recognition during team meetings,
etc.) can have a big impact on employee morale and ensuring employees feel like they
are contributing to the team and organizational goals and mission.

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Avoiding Unsuccessful Delegation

Remember, an unsuccessful end to delegated work usually means the manager or
supervisor did not properly choose what to delegate, when and to whom, or did not
effectively communicate with the employee somewhere along the way. To help ensure
the end product you expect, be sure to avoid:

Over Delegating
Going back to what delegation ISNT, avoid merely dumping a list of tasks on a team
member. Delegate one project or task at a time, particularly if you are newly delegating
to someone on your team.

Not Defining Success

Remember that what may seem easy or routine to you may be complicated and
confusing to someone doing the task for the first time. Make sure to plan the appropriate
amount of time for instructions and make sure your accountable agreement includes a
clear definition of what it means to have a successful end to the delegated work.

Unclear Deadlines
A sure fire way to not have your delegated work completed is to not specify an end date
or time period for the work. When the employee is prioritizing their work, the tasks
without a due date are sure to end up at the end of the list.

Limited Follow-Up
Dont wait until the expected end of the project or task to check in with the person to
whom youve delegated work. Ongoing communication will help your employee seek
clarity on any confusion and make corrections in approach before the end of the project.

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Appendix A
Additional Delegation Tools

20

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Appendix B
Post Workshop Evaluation

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Delegation: Getting Work Done Through Others

Please read the following statements and rate how strongly you agree or disagree by circling
the appropriate word or phrase on the scale.

1. I understand delegation and what it means to effectively delegate.
Strongly Disagree

Comments:

Disagree

Agree

Strongly Agree

Agree

Strongly Agree

2. I can better identify what to delegate and to whom.

Strongly Disagree

Disagree

Comments:

3. I know some tools for effective delegation including defining expectations, communicating
regularly and providing feedback.
Strongly Disagree

Comments:

Disagree

Agree

Strongly Agree

4. I understand some of the obstacles to effective delegation and how avoid them.
Strongly Disagree

Disagree

Comments:

Agree

Strongly Agree

5. I understand delegation can be an effective way to develop employees skills, abilities and
confidence.
Strongly Disagree

Comments:

Disagree

Agree

Strongly Agree

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