Ideally, delegating a task to one of your team members is a win-win-win—for you, your team member and your organization. That’s because when you can develop your skills to get work done through others, you will have a higher performing team, more time to focus on business results and a stronger commitment from your employees.
But what happens if you delegate a task to a team member and they don’t do it? Then you’re left with frustration, delays and other not-so-good outcomes. Don’t make these 5 mistakes when delegating tasks to team members:
1. You don’t define the task.
The first step is asking yourself if the task can be delegated at all. If the answer is yes, think about what it is you’re looking for and what the end result should be. Also think through things like skills and resources needed to complete the task, timing, budget, and preferred format and frequency of communication.
2. You don’t select the right team member for the job.
It’s important to pick a team member who is both willing and able to complete the delegated task. So how do you know who that is? Observe them. Coming right out and asking if they’re interested in taking on the task can also help. If the answer is no, then it’s time to sniff out barriers and uncover what is getting in their way. Unfortunately, many leaders shy away from this important step because they either assume they know the answer (we don’t have to review what happens when you assume, do we?) or they don’t want to hear the answer. But once you better understand what’s getting in the way, you can work together to remove the obstacle. When your employee knows you have their best interest in mind, are willing to be flexible and listen to their ideas, you’re also developing their loyalty and ownership in their job.
3. You don’t do a good job communicating with your team member.
Setting expectations is one thing; effectively communicating them is another. Face-to-face and written communication, like checklists, can work together to help your employee understand the responsibilities of the job, how it connects to the success of the business and what’s in it for them. This may seem like information overload, but it helps turn merely compliant team members into committed, engaged ones.
4. You don’t inspect the process.
This is not the same thing as micromanaging. Instead, it’s following up at regular intervals while the delegated task is being worked on. It’s asking important questions and collecting feedback on what’s working, what’s not and what’s missing from the process. It’s doing that again when the process is over. This helps you gauge both your role and that of your team member in the delegation process. It allows you to determine if any given gap in performance is just a one-time event or a trend over time. That allows you to invest your energy in things that have the biggest impact.
5. You don’t offer recognition.
Team members to whom you delegate need recognition for their efforts. People want to know their work is noticed, especially when it’s done well. That helps them to continue doing it. But telling someone “good job” provides them no idea of what they did well. Instead, provide specific feedback. Example: “I noticed that your email response time is consistently within 24 hours, just like we discussed. That will ensure we keep up the customer service standards we have set for our business. I really appreciate the positive impact you’re making.”
As you can see, delegating is more than telling a team member to do something and then waiting for it to get done. Effective delegation takes a lot of preparation and follow-up. In that case, should you just do the task yourself? Maybe, but keep in mind that delegating isn’t just about freeing up your own time; it’s also about growing new leaders.