No matter how hard you work, there’s a finite amount that you can do on your own. After all, there are only so many hours in a day, and there are only so many tasks you can fit in them. However, if you’re good at your job, people will expect you to do more than what you can fit in.
This is where delegating work comes in. If you’re good at delegating, you can quickly build a team of capable individuals who can meet any demands that others place. Here are four effective strategies that will help you delegate properly and get the assistance you need.
- Learn to Trust Others
For many leaders, the biggest issue with delegating is learning to let go of their own work. Some fear that nobody but them has the skills to complete the project, and others are so dedicated to the project that they refuse others’ help.
Either way, you need to learn how to trust others. The best way to do it is to start small and only delegate the simplest tasks available. Once you get to know your team better and begin to trust them, you can start working your way up. Remember: if you want your team to be successful, you’ll need to believe in their skills and abilities.
- Define the Desired Outcome
Contrary to popular opinion, delegating work doesn’t boil down to dumping a task onto someone else’s plate. Any task you hand off should have context and tie into your company’s goals.
This is where clarifying objectives comes in very handy. Before anyone starts working on a task, they need to know exactly what they’re expected to do and by when. Also, make sure they understand the metrics you’ll use to evaluate their work. Having all the facts in front of them will help them complete their tasks more effectively.
- Play to Your Team’s Strengths
As a leader, you should know how your team operates. This includes knowing each individual’s strengths and weaknesses, as well as their current and potential range of skills. This information can be invaluable when it comes to delegating work.
Whenever you have a task that needs doing, look at your team and assign the task to the most suitable person. This sounds simple enough, but many bosses tend to delegate tasks to whoever has the lightest workload. Keep in mind that assigning the same type of tasks to the same individual can help increase their aptitude for those tasks.
- Provide the Right Feedback
Once your employees finish the tasks you’ve delegated, you should deliver feedback. If a task was done well, show your appreciation and offer a few positive thoughts about their work.
If the completed work wasn’t up to your standards, don’t be afraid to provide constructive feedback. This is the only way your employees will learn to make changes if they get assigned a similar task in the future. To make sure you’re delegating effectively, ask the team for their honest feedback as well.