Leadership / Management

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“Not only is delegating a necessity, it also increases efficiency.  And to me, that’s the bottom line,” says Dan Eber, production manager at American Dish Service in Kansas City, KS. 

Eber supervises forty production employees who are responsible for manufacturing industrial dishwashers and chemical dispensers.  Among the employees are six “leads,” as Eber calls them, one in each shop, to whom all projects are delegated.  The leads in turn, seek out qualified workers in each shop to assist in the completion of assigned tasks. 

In Eber’s fast-paced department, parts and procedures are modified and upgraded constantly and deadlines are tight.  So, he says, delegation is a must. 

“Meeting tight deadlines is not feasible when you try to do everything yourself,” he points out.  “You have to look at your people and pick qualified individuals to assist you with tasks.” 

However, choosing the right employees is the straightforward part.  Eber contends that the situation becomes more complicated after this selection process because that is when the actual act of delegating begins.  To avoid the typical problems associated with delegation, there are certain steps you must take. 

Ten Events That Ensure Effectiveness 

How can you be sure your employees will cross the finish line with delegated assignments?  Before you can expect them to do a winning job, Eber says you must first complete ten steps of what he calls the “delegation decathlon.”  These steps are: 

1. Explain the why but not the how.   When you are assigning a task to an employee, your first step is to go directly to the task’s objective rather than begin the discussion by explaining how you want the job done, advises Eber.  “Go backward,” he says.  “First, explain what you’re looking for, what end product you hope to see.”  It is vital that the worker understand why the job is important and what you hope it will accomplish.   

2.  Be honest about the job and why you’re assigning it.  If you are delegating a job because you are too busy to do it, say so. Or, if it is because the employee has some special knowledge that will expedite completion of the task, let the person know.  And if you believe that the new task will broaden the employee’s knowledge and skills, be up front about it. 

Just as important, never try to pass off a chore as an exciting new experience when it really is not.  You will lose your employees’ trust if you do not level with them.  And sooner or later, you might risk losing their respect as well. 

3.  Assure the employee’s readiness to take on the task.  An employee is ready to tackle a task when he or she agrees with the goals you have discussed. If the project is complicated, you might want to write down the objectives to make your expectations clear and avoid confusion. 

However, you should never force an employee to accept a task that he or she isn’t ready for.  Encourage your people to tell you right away whether they can manage a job.  Sometimes a worker might simply be afraid of trying something new or assuming wider responsibilities.  When you sense this might be the case, make it a point to boost the employee’s confidence by conveying your assurance that the person is perfectly capable of doing the job well. 

If you find that despite your efforts, you can’t soothe the worker’s concerns about the job, you might view this as a signal of other problems.  In such a case, ask a worker why he or she cannot do the job.  Sometimes you will find that there is a problem in the shop you did not know about that needs immediate attention. 

4. Let workers decide how to proceed.  Effective delegation involves encouraging workers to add their own thoughts and ideas to the process.  Even though you know how the job should be done, everyone will see the task from a slightly different perspective. 

“People perform well for you if they feel they have input,” Eber asserts.  “I ask the opinions of my lead workers constantly,” he adds.  For example, during a recent plant move, Eber delegated the task of setting up the new stockroom to the lead workers.  They then formed two crews to accomplish the task.  “Although the lead workers and I sat down and put the plan on paper, modifications needed to be made during the actual setup.  It was the lead’s responsibility to make decisions right there on the spot.” 

5.  Agree on a deadline for completion.   A deadline will help the employee set priorities.  Also, it gives the person the flexibility to fit the delegated task into his or her schedule.  Agreeing on a specific time helps avoid confusion and procrastination and confirms that the job will get done when it needs to get done, says Eber. 

What do you do if an employee has a problem meeting the deadline?  “We try to figure out what happened,” Eber responds.  “Maybe the lead worker needs more assistance or the shop’s workload has suddenly increased.  Whatever the reason, I never yank a job I’ve assigned.  Instead, I offer assistance.” 

6.  Provide the resources and information necessary to get the job done.  For example, if the task to be delegated involves calling a supplier for information to complete a report, give the worker the supplier’s number or tell him or her where to find it. 

7.  Be available for assistance if necessary.  If you are concerned that an employee might run into a problem while carrying out a task, let him or her know that you’re always available for consultation.  And if a task is particularly complicated, offer the employee some tips on how the job might be facilitated.  But do not interfere with the actual execution of a task unless it’s absolutely necessary.  You want to encourage your people to be independent. 

8. Keep tabs on the progress of the project.  If it will take one month to complete a task, tell the employee that you’d like a progress report in two weeks.  Of course, you’ll want to know sooner than that if problems crop up. 

“If the project is very intense or there are different stages to it, I delegate each stage one step at a time,” he says.  This way, Eber can touch base with workers periodically to assess progress.  “This also makes it easier for workers to let me know if they’re having problems completing part of the job,” he points out. 

9.  Avoid reprimanding workers who have erred in carrying out an assignment.  You should expect and understand that occasional errors are inevitable.  When employees make mistakes, praise their efforts and then ask them to clarify any problem.  Help workers to achieve success with tasks by giving them your support.   

“When projects are new, you have to take into account that mistakes might be made,” Eber stresses.  “I show workers where they got off track and then return the assignments to them.  Most employees want to finish what they started.” 

10. Give credit where credit is due.  It should be understood from the beginning that employees to whom you delegate will receive full credit for the success of the tasks.  Recognition is crucial to effective delegation.  “Pride increases the quality and quantity of the work,” Eber points out.  “When people are proud of their work, they won’t turn something in if it’s not up to standard.” 

Let Everyone in On Your Delegation Decisions 

When you delegate, it is crucial that you let all involved personnel know about your delegation decision.  Every person involved in the completion of a task should know you have passed along to the employee the authority to get the job done.  Otherwise confusion, lack of cooperation, and perhaps even resentment might ensue on the part of other crew members or personnel from other departments. 

Send out memos if necessary, call a meeting, or make a few telephone calls.  Eber often sets up meetings to convey this information.  For instance, after he delegated the task of calculating the amount of sheet metal the group would need and ordering the metal, Eber arranged to meet with employees in the purchasing department because the task would entail ordering the materials through that department.  This made for a smooth transition of power and a successfully completed task, he says. 

How Will Delegation Sit With the Boss? 

Some supervisors might hesitate to delegate because they are concerned that their bosses will think they are shirking their duties.  According to Eber, however, most managers view supervisors who delegate as highly effective. 

For more information about Ken Chapman and Associates’ Leadership Development Programs, contact Ken Chapman at 205.366.0265 or email Ken at kchapman@leaderscode.com.

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