Delegate Correctly

I come into the company at half past six in the morning. And in the evening I'm the last one. I'm often here on weekends too. And yet I can't do my job. Have you ever thought like that? Don't worry, you are not the only one who is doing this. An overflowing desk, constant stress from morning to night and the constant feeling of running after tasks and appointments. These are experiences that many managers have. Every day. Often the things that really matter to you are left behind: family, friends, private life. Many managers know that they are missing something, that they lack time for the most important thing, life. It hurts, but how can you change the situation? It's very simple: let your employees get involved!

Rethink

If you have too much on your desk - and here the desk is only a synonym for day-to-day business - you should urgently think about how you can give something away. This finding is fundamental. After all, if you do not hand in any of your tasks, if you do not distribute your tasks among your employees, you must not complain about your own overload. Of course, giving up tasks or even skills is not easy. First of all, this requires a rethink. The thought "before I explain something three times, I would rather do it myself quickly" must give way to the realization "what I have explained to others, they can relieve me of in the long run". It is a more or less difficult process from case to case. And there has to be a growing willingness to transfer responsibility and competencies to an employee. So let him get to the things that you have always done as a manager yourself. A certain tolerance for results is essential. Because everyone has their own approach, their own style. Anyone who gives something to someone has to get involved with that person to some extent. A boss who delegates a task cannot expect the employee to deliver exactly the same solution as himself. Whoever delegates must be satisfied with 95 percent of his own solution. This is not a problem as long as the 95 percent is sufficient for the customer. And so it is a question of the yardstick that is set in the company. It is a question of definition. That is also a top priority. Because everyone has their own approach, their own style. Anyone who gives something to someone has to get involved with that person to some extent. A boss who delegates a task cannot expect the employee to deliver exactly the same solution as himself. Whoever delegates must be satisfied with 95 percent of his own solution. This is not a problem as long as the 95 percent is sufficient for the customer. And so it is a question of the yardstick that is set in the company. It is a question of definition. That is also a top priority. Because everyone has their own approach, their own style. Anyone who gives something to someone has to get involved with that person to some extent. A boss who delegates a task cannot expect the employee to deliver exactly the same solution as himself. Whoever delegates must be satisfied with 95 percent of his own solution. This is not a problem as long as the 95 percent is sufficient for the customer. And so it is a question of the yardstick that is set in the company. It is a question of definition. That is also a top priority.must be satisfied with 95 percent of their own solution. This is not a problem as long as the 95 percent is sufficient for the customer. And so it is a question of the yardstick that is set in the company. It is a question of definition. That is also a top priority.must be satisfied with 95 percent of their own solution. This is not a problem as long as the 95 percent is sufficient for the customer. And so it is a question of the yardstick that is set in the company. It is a question of definition. That is also a top priority.

Systematic instead of spontaneous

Delegating is not about quickly transferring an unpopular job to an employee. Imagine, for example, that something goes wrong with a painting job and now the customer reports and would like to discuss this with the boss who took the job. So there is no point in simply sending an employee over there. He won't know the process. In the situation, he will be overwhelmed. And he will know that his boss didn't feel like complaining and that's why he is deployed. So why should he feel like it? Why should he do something that his boss doesn't want to do? And how should he do something that he may not be able to do. Did our boss think about it?

The spontaneous transfer of activities often makes no sense. It's not about simply transferring an activity, it's about getting a result. If you hand over a task to someone else, you have to be sure that the other person can also do the task. It follows that the delegation of tasks must be a systematic thing. The boss must set clear priorities with regard to his goals and then consistently decide which things he has to do himself and which he can delegate to employees.

Choice and responsibility

With the systematic transfer of a task, the focus is on the employee, i.e. the recipient of the task. A manager who wants to delegate a task must first select the right employee for this. The employee must be able to do the job. He must have the necessary skills and knowledge. Therefore, a boss should first of all be aware of the strengths and weaknesses of his employees. Because he himself is ultimately responsible for all work results in the company, regardless of whether he carries out the tasks himself or whether he delegates them. Delegation is also employee selection.

information

Now the task takes center stage. If you want to do a task, you have to know about it. This means that the employee is not only told what to do. It is much more important that he knows the objectives behind the task. The so-called W questions are helpful:

• What exactly should be achieved in the company?
• Why should it be done at all?
• How should the task be carried out?
• When should the task be completed?

Dialogue instead of instruction

This is exactly what the boss has to talk to his employee about. The emphasis here is on “speaking”, that is, on the dialogue between the two. There is no point in assigning tasks in the instructional tone, ignoring the employee's questions and concerns. Rather, these critical points from the employee's point of view must be clarified so that he is optimally equipped for the task right from the start. An open word on the part of the employee is important here. Does he see his boss as a person of trust and can he also express his concerns? If you want to take on a task, you have to be convinced that you can master it. He must be able to express his concerns, because this is the only way to address them. This protects against overwhelming and the failure of the employee and thus the task. That is in the interest of all involved.

Contact Person

As a result, a manager remains the contact person after the delegation. If the employee gets a problem during execution, questions arise or uncertainties arise, he can ask his boss for advice. He does not need to be afraid that he will be classified as incapable, because his questions are evidence of problem awareness. This is desirable because it protects against gross error results. Who asks shows that he thinks. And precisely this independent processing of tasks is the goal of the delegation on the part of the manager to the employee.

Control and feedback

Of course, whoever delegates a task remains responsible for the result. This means that he should keep an eye on his own delegation decision: Have I selected the right employee? Did he understand the task? Is the task on the right track? Are we on schedule or is there a risk of missed deadlines? Doesn't that overwhelm the employee? These are questions that he has to keep asking himself. He does not carry out the task himself, but he still keeps an eye on the execution. If he notices that things are not going in the desired way, he must intervene and thus protect everyone involved from greater damage. Whoever delegates takes responsibility for the delegation process. This includes tracking the delegation as well as monitoring the results.

Delegation as an opportunity

Delegation is not that easy. Delegation demands a lot of discipline from the person who assigns a task and also a willingness to engage with the person who receives the task. Delegation does not release you from responsibility for the cause. But delegation creates time. And if you use this instrument correctly, you will be able to do more with your employees than you can personally and at the same time create space for the important things. Therefore: Whoever delegates correctly has more of life.

Thomas Scheld