Don’t think about making art, get it done
“Don’t think about making art, just get it done. Let everyone else decide if it’s good or bad, whether they love it or hate it. While they are deciding, make even more art.” — Andy Warhol
Warhol encourages artists to focus on the act of creation and leave the judgment to others. Effective leaders should focus on the bigger picture and entrust some specific tasks to others.
Delegation in leadership is assigning responsibility and authority to team members for specific tasks or projects. It’s a critical skill that goes beyond merely distributing tasks. Effective delegation involves:
- Empowerment: Entrusting team members with the authority to make decisions and execute tasks.
- Responsibility: Assigning specific duties and expecting accountability for them.
- Authority: Giving team members the power to make decisions and take actions necessary to complete the task.
Delegating is essential because it helps build a strong, capable team. When leaders delegate, they trust their team’s abilities, boosting morale and motivation. It also allows team members to develop new skills and gain experience vital for their growth and career advancement. Leaders benefit, too, as delegating frees up their time to focus on higher-level strategic planning and decision-making.
“If you want to do a few small things right, do them yourself. If you want to do great things and make a big impact, learn to delegate.” — John C. Maxwell
What can be Delegated?
- Non-Critical Decisions: Allow team members to make less crucial decisions, fostering independence and confidence.
- Unenjoyable Tasks: Pass on tasks you might not prefer but others could find interesting or rewarding.
- Routine Tasks: Delegate daily tasks that don’t require your unique skills, freeing time for more strategic work.
- Leveraging Skills of Others: Assign tasks to those with stronger skills in specific areas, utilizing the diverse strengths of your team.
- Time-Consuming Research: Offload in-depth research tasks, enabling others to contribute their insights while you focus on broader objectives.
- Administrative Work: Distribute tasks like scheduling and email management, ensuring understanding and managing any associated risks for smooth operations.
- Skill Development: Assign tasks that challenge team members and help them grow, including those outside their current skill set, with proper support and training.
How to Delegate
Effective delegation is key to team success and leadership efficiency. Here’s a guide to doing it right:
- Identify the Right Person: Start by choosing someone with the appropriate skills and motivation for the task, considering individual and cultural differences within your team.
- Be Clear on the Outcome: Once you’ve selected the person, clearly define what a successful outcome looks like.
- Set a Firm Deadline: After defining the outcome, establish a clear timeline for completion.
- Allocate Resources: Ensure they have all the necessary tools, information, and authority before they begin.
- Agree on Communication: Set expectations for updates and feedback sessions so both parties are on the same page.
- Make Them the Owner: Empower them with full responsibility for the task. This should be done early to foster a sense of ownership while being prepared to adjust your approach based on their feedback and performance.
- Review and Feedback: Review the results and provide constructive feedback after completing the task. Regularly recognize and appreciate both the efforts and achievements of your team members.
More Autonomy and More Trusth
To increase trust through delegation, you can gradually give more autonomy to your team members:
- Start with Clear Instructions: First, ask team members to follow your instructions. This helps you assess their skills and reliability.
- Encourage Research and Feedback: Next, let them research tasks and report their findings. This shows you value their input and judgment.
- Options and Decision Making: Then, have them present options for a decision. You make the final call, but they’re involved in the process.
- Decision Making with Notification: Progress to letting them make decisions, but ask them to inform you afterward. This demonstrates increased trust in their judgment.
- Full Autonomy: Finally, empower them to make decisions without needing to report back. This level shows complete trust in their abilities and decision-making skills.
🎯Key Takeaways
Effective delegation is more than task distribution; it’s a crucial skill for leadership success. It involves empowerment, responsibility, authority, clear communication, support, and recognition.
You foster a strong, capable, and motivated team by tailoring your approach to individual team members.
Celebrating achievements and providing constructive feedback further strengthens the trust and efficiency within the team, leading to overall organizational success.
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Disclaimer: This post was created with the help of AI tools to improve efficiency, required hours of dedicated writing, and contains my experience in the field.
