The 3 Secrets to Delegation Mastery
One of the biggest challenges that the new manager faces? Continuing to act as a performer instead of a leader. This looks like someone who takes on a lot of work - maybe more work than they can reasonably handle - while struggling to actually lead their team. It’s an understandable conundrum: after all, the new leader got their role for being a sensational performer, and now it’s expected that the sensational performer…stop performing?
Well…not really - what’s being asked is that to perform in a new way. A manager must master the art of delegation, or the transfer of responsibility for specific tasks from one person to another.
Yet, there are a litany of additional reasons that people shy away from delegation. For the newer manager, these may include a lack of confidence in their authority to delegate, or fear that their team may resist their directives. Those who have been high performers for a long time may fear that others can’t do the task as well as they can, or that someone else doing it right will require such a high touch that it’s easier to just do it themselves.
Why Does it Matter?
The thing is, challenges abound when managers don’t, can’t, or won’t delegate, including the obvious lack of sustainability. No one person can do the work of a team, high performer or not, and burnout is inevitable. This is particularly true as teams and companies grow. Plus, employees are more engaged when given new and challenging tasks to perform (and happier when they know their managers trust them.)
A Gallup study showed that CEOs who are great delegators earn 33% more revenue than their low delegator peers. That same study also found that those strong delegators added jobs at a 24% higher rate, as well. Delegation, in fact, was found to be the number one key to success for entrepreneurs.
How To Delegate: A Simple Framework
Delegation doesn’t have to be daunting. Starting with a relatively simple 3-part framework will help build this skill quickly so you can be the manager you were meant to be.
Step 1: Align on Expectations
When choosing to delegate a task, you must take the expectations you have in your head (the implicit) and articulate them (make them explicit.) To do this effectively, make sure you’re extremely clear on the end goal - what success for this task or project looks like. If you have examples, share them!
During the expectation setting process, ensure you also articulate why this task matters (employee investment is incredibly important to effective delegation), when it needs to be completed, and who else may be involved along the way (don’t forget that there are likely stakeholders beyond just the manager and the direct report.)
It’s important to open the line for clear communication by letting your employee ask all the questions they have at this stage. Smart tip: Start this conversation by asking: “What questions do you have?” rather than, “Any questions?”
Step 2: Engage Strategically
Great! Delegation complete, right? You get to be hands off now!
Just kidding, you know that’s not how this is going to work. In order to set your employees up for continued success during the delegation process, you need to have planned touchpoints where you will check in on progress and provide feedback. What is the early, middle, and “almost done” piece of work you want to see, and by when?
For something like a presentation, this might look like providing a simple draft by X date, an 80% draft by Y date, and a mostly completed Canva presentation by Z date. Share these benchmark deliverables up front as part of the expectation setting process, and then hold on to them by putting them in your calendar or to-do organization system. (It’s the manager’s job to check in as promised, not the employee’s.)
Step #3: Take Time to Debrief
Congratulations! The task got done - hopefully on time and to your specifications. But you’re not (quite) done yet, especially if there were bumps along the way. The best delegators - and managers - always, always debrief after a project is completed. This can be a super quick part of your regularly scheduled 1:1 for smaller tasks, or it might be its own larger meeting for bigger tasks.
The how is less important here, than the what. The goal in the debrief is for the direct report to share what went well and was helpful during the process, as well as points that could have been better delegated, more clear, etc. It’s also an important pause point for you as a manager to provide concrete, actionable feedback.
Need more?
Our new manager training includes research-based, practice-focused skills in delegation, diving deeper into each of these essential steps, as well as a thoughtful look at common delegation pitfalls. Reach out to learn more about our training catalogue!
