How to Delegate Responsibilities in the Workplace (The Right Way)

When you’re in a managerial position, delegating important tasks might feel risky, but it’s actually a powerful way to develop the talents of your valuable employees, open new doors to efficiency, and improve your own job performance.

In this article, we’ll explore the benefits of delegating responsibilities and how to use this method for managing your workload the right way.

Why Delegate?

If you can learn how to successfully delegate tasks and responsibilities, you can reap a long list of benefits that will have a domino effect on various levels of the company.

To give you an idea of just how beneficial delegating responsibilities can be, we’ve outlined our favorite advantages below.

Professional Growth

Delegation is most beneficial when improving the greater good of the company is the main objective. However, it can’t be denied that this managerial technique offers many opportunities for personal gain and growth, for you and for your employees.

For leaders, handing off tasks to others clears a lot of space in your work schedule that can be used to focus on the responsibilities and tasks that only you can do.

Talent Optimization

Delegating responsibilities frees up time for you to learn, grow, and improve your own job performance. If you do end up delegating the majority of your work to others, take the opportunity to go to your own superiors and ask them to delegate some of their tasks to you. They’ll definitely take notice of your proactive approach and be thankful for the help.

Enhanced Bench Strength

Enhancing your employees’ skills and improving their performance is a great way to improve workplace efficiency and achieve team goals. By delegating responsibilities, you provide others with opportunities for development and growth as well as helping to increase their level of self-confidence in their abilities.

Potential Advancement Opportunities

Every great leader watches for signs of potential and readiness for advancement in the members of their team. By taking it upon yourself to improve your employees’ skills, performance, and workplace efficiency by way of strategic delegation, you’re bound to impress your superiors with your initiative and demonstrated leadership qualities—especially if you can delegate in a way that improves the overall operations of the entire department.

When to Delegate

The key to successfully delegating responsibilities is knowing when to do it. To reap the benefits outlined above, use the delegation tips below. And remember, as long as you’re in a position to delegate, the following tips will apply.

You Have the Needed Authority

Even if you mean well, your equals at work aren’t likely to respond well to a bossy coworker. Before you start handing off your own assignments, make sure you have the authority to do so. If you don’t have employees working below you, consider drafting a delegation strategy that will benefit the department and run it by your superior for approval.

You Have Too Much on Your Plate

If you’re the type of person who prefers to do everything yourself, it’s time to start utilizing others to help clear your plate. Make a master to-do list and decide which tasks can be delegated. This can range from single projects to small recurring tasks that accumulate and take up a good chunk of your time.

It may feel scary at first to leave certain responsibilities in the hands of someone else, but doing so will provide you with relief, decrease your stress and feelings of being overwhelmed, and free up your schedule so you have more time and effort to devote to big-ticket assignments.

Your Employees Are Ready for More

If you truly want to succeed, it’s crucial that your employees are prepared to take on more responsibilities before you start delegating additional tasks. You need to make sure that not only are they competent to complete the delegated assignments, but that they also have enough time in their current schedules to get the job done. Thoughtless delegation can easily cause chaos if employees lack the necessary skills or are overwhelmed by the assignment(s).

How to Delegate

Delegating responsibilities must be thoughtful and strategic in order for it to benefit the workplace. Use these tips to make sure you’re delegating properly.

Prepare Your Team

With the right training and leadership, you can make sure your team is ready to take on new responsibilities. Prep them with the requisite training, job shadowing, and one-on-one discussions related to the task at hand.

Communicate Clearly

Clear and effective communication is key to an organized delegation strategy. Before you start handing down tasks, clearly explain your expectations and outline the goals and objectives of each assignment.

Teach Others to Delegate

For cascading impact, take the time to teach others how to successfully delegate tasks to their subordinates. Ask them to brainstorm delegation strategies geared towards improving day-to-day operations and have them run their ideas by you before they mobilize their plans.

Be Available

As we mentioned earlier, delegating responsibilities can easily cause chaos in the workplace if it’s done poorly. When you first begin distributing new tasks and assignments to your employees, be ready and available to answer their questions and oversee the first one or two rounds of work to make sure things go smoothly.

Delegate According to Strengths

As you draft your delegation strategy, consider the different strengths and weaknesses of your team members. To successfully achieve your goals and improve performance, assign tasks that are well suited to each individual and his or her specific skill set.

Improve the Workplace by Delegating Responsibilities

By learning how to delegate responsibilities effectively, you can improve your workplace in myriad ways, all of which are beneficial to the company and the development of its employees. Learn other ways to improve the state of your company with the CMOE blog!