Whether you're a corporate executive, a manager, or a stay-at-home parent, being able to delegate responsibilities is an important ability to make yourself more effective. However, delegating can be tricky – you need to be firm, trusting the person you are delegating your responsibilities to. This article will help you deal with any concerns you may have about delegating, then take you through the actual process of delegating work wisely and respectfully.
Step
Part 1 of 2: Get Into the Right Mindset
Step 1. Put your ego aside
The biggest obstacle to delegating is the phrase "If you want something done right, you have to do it yourself." You're also not the only person in the world who can get it right. You may be the only person who can get it right at this point, but if you take the time to train someone, they might as well get it right. Who knows – they might be able to do it faster or better than you and this is not only something you have to accept, but even have to ask for.
Think logically and realistically – can you do this job yourself? Do you have to work to death to balance this job and your own responsibilities? If so, you should be prepared to delegate some of your work. Don't feel ashamed or inadequate just because you need help with something – you actually become a more effective worker by getting help when you need it
Step 2. Stop waiting for someone to offer to help
If you are reluctant to delegate work, you may suffer from mild martyr's syndrome – you may be overwhelmed, and you often wonder why no one offers to help. Be honest with yourself – when people offer to help, do you turn them down, just to be polite? Are you secretly asking why they don't insist? Do you feel that, if your positions were reversed, would you help them with a pounding heart? If you answered "yes," you need to practice "taking control" of your circumstances. Get the help you need – don't wait for it to come to you, because it may never happen.
Many people forget what other people are going through, and there is nothing you can do to change them. Forget all possible disappointment in people who don't offer to help; please remember it is your job to talk about what you need
Step 3. Don't look at requests for help in a negative way
Many people feel uncomfortable asking for help. You may feel guilty, like you're putting a burden on someone else, or embarrassed, because you think (for some reason) that you should be able to handle everything yourself. You may just feel proud of the struggle, and see it as proof that you are a noble human being (another manifestation of martyr syndrome). If you see asking for help as a form of weakness, you need to forget about it quickly On the other hand: trying to do everything alone is a sign of weakness in the sense that it indicates you don't have a realistic view of your abilities.
Step 4. Learn to trust others
If you're afraid to delegate because you don't think anyone else can do as well as you do, keep two things in mind: first, almost anyone can become good at something with enough practice, and second you may not be gifted at everything. When you delegate work, you not only free up time for yourself – but you also give your helper an opportunity to practice a new skill or perform a new task. Be patient – over time, your helper will probably be able to do the delegated work as well as you. Unless the work you plan to delegate is very important, it may be good for your helper how to do it well over time. If the work is very important, think twice before delegating it!
Even if you are the best at doing the work you plan to delegate, realize that delegating work allows you to do other things with your time. If you're the best employee in the office who does a fairly monotonous hard drive assembly job, but you have an important presentation to prepare, then it's okay to leave that task to an internal party. You're better off prioritizing difficult tasks – don't feel bad about delegating simple, repetitive tasks when you have more important things to do
Part 2 of 2: Delegating Effectively
Step 1. Get the task running
The first step is the hardest, but the most important. You should have the courage to ask someone to help you (or if you're the boss, get someone to help you.) Don't feel bad about this – as long as you're polite, kind, and friendly, you're not being rude just for asking someone else for help. Try to be friendly and nice while maintaining seriousness and your request.
- If you're not sure how to get someone else to do something for you, try keeping things short and sweet. Say something like, "Hey, can I talk to you for a minute? Can you help me assemble the huge pile of hard drives that just arrived. I can't do it myself because I'm out of the office today. Can you help me out?" pressure the person, but make sure that his or her help is needed.
- Ask and you will (probably) receive. Don't be afraid to delegate because you think it will sound rude or impressive. Look at it this way – how do you feel when people ask you for help? Do you feel hurt and offended? Or do you (usually) want to help? Maybe you chose the latter!
Step 2. Don't take rejection personally
Sometimes people just can't help you – a sad thing, but true. This can be for a variety of reasons – the most common is that the person you are asking for help is very busy with work. Don't take it too personally – just because someone can't (or won't) do something for you at that moment doesn't mean they hate you. Usually because they are busy or lazy – nothing more.
If you get rejected, consider your options – usually, you can politely insist that you need help from that person (it usually works if you are the boss or someone in authority), you can try asking someone else, or you can do the job itself. If you need help, don't be afraid to choose the first option or both
Step 3. Delegate goals, not procedures
This is the key to not becoming a micro-manager's nightmare. Set clear standards for what results you want, and show the person how, but say they can do it the way they want, as long as it's done well and done on time. Give them sufficient time not only to learn, but also to experiment and innovate. Don't train them like a robot; train them like a human being-someone who adapts and gets better.
It is also smart because it will take your time and reduce anxiety. You want to use the free time to do other more important things, not always worry about the progress of your helper. Remember, you delegate work to reduce stress – not add stress
Step 4. Prepare to train your helper
You should always set aside time to teach your helper how to do the delegated task, even if it's an easy thing. Remember that a process that seems straightforward and simple to you may not be as simple as to someone who has never done it before. Be prepared not only to take your helper through the work you have delegated, but also be patient with any questions that may arise.
Consider the time you spend training rescuers as a wise long-term investment. By setting aside time to properly teach your helper, you will have free time in the future instead of spending time correcting his or her mistakes
Step 5. Allocate sufficient resources to complete the task
You may have the resources available that are necessary to complete the task but the person assigned to the task may not be able to access them. Things like password protected data, special tools, and certain tools can be essential to getting the job done, so make sure your helper has what it takes to succeed.
Step 6. Understand that your helper can only do one thing at a time
When your helper is helping you, he is not doing his normal responsibilities. Don't forget that, like you, your helper may have a busy schedule. Ask yourself-what work would they set aside or delegate to get the job done from you? Make sure you know the answer the next time you delegate a task to someone.
Step 7. Be patient
The person you delegate will make mistakes as he or she learns to do a new assignment. It is part of the learning process. Plan it. Don't delegate tasks assuming the person will do it perfectly until they have a proven piece of work. If a job does not turn out as expected because your colleague can't do the task perfectly, then it's your fault, not him. Be a resource for your helper and delegated work can be a learning experience for him, rather than scaring people off.
When you train someone to do something, you are investing. At first it will slow you down, but in the long run, it will increase productivity, based on your approach to positive and realistic behavior
Step 8. Prepare for trouble
Make a backup plan and be prepared to act if something goes wrong. Know what will happen if a target or deadline is missed. Unexpected obstacles and challenges crop up all the time, whether you're in the office or at home – sometimes technology can fail. Let your helper believe that if something comes up, you'll understand and help them meet the deadline – don't just leave them in a difficult position.
Doing this is also smart in a selfish sense – if your helper is afraid of being blamed, more time will be spent making up for his shortcomings than doing his job
Step 9. Reward your helper if worthy
Delegating tasks to someone is important if you have more responsibilities. But it's counterproductive when you delegate a task, let your helper work hard for it, and then get the credit yourself. Appreciate and praise the efforts of others who are working on your behalf.
Make sure every time you get a compliment for your work that was helped by someone else, you also mention the name of the person who helped you
Step 10. Say "Thank You
When someone does something for you, it's important to thank that person, to acknowledge the importance of his or her help, and to let the helper know that he or she is appreciated. Otherwise, you will appear ungrateful, even if you don't. Remember that people can't read your mind. People will be more than happy to offer help if they feel appreciated.
