AN IDEAS INTO ACTION GUIDEBOOK
Delegating Effectively
A Leader’s Guide to Getting Things Done
IDEAS INTO ACTION GUIDEBOOKS
Aimed at managers and executives who are concerned with their own and others’ development, each guidebook in this series gives specific advice on how to complete a developmental task or solve a leadership problem.
| LEAD CONTRIBUTOR | Clemson Turregano |
| CONTRIBUTORS | Gloria Bernabeu, Anand |
| Chandrasekar, Shirley | |
| Landry, Kim Leahy, Don | |
| Prince, Ron Rabin, Bertrand | |
| Sereno | |
| DIRECTOR OF ASSESSMENTS, TOOLS, AND PUBLICATIONS | Sylvester Taylor |
| MANAGER, PUBLICATION DEVELOPMENT | Peter Scisco |
| EDITORS | Stephen Rush |
| Karen Lewis | |
| ASSOCIATE EDITOR | Shaun Martin |
| COPY EDITOR | Tammie McLean |
| DESIGN AND LAYOUT | Joanne Ferguson |
| COVER DESIGN | Laura J. Gibson |
| Chris Wilson, 29 & Company | |
| RIGHTS AND PERMISSIONS | Kelly Lombardino |
Copyright © 2013 Center for Creative Leadership.
All Rights Reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the publisher. Printed in the United States of America.
CCL No. 454
ISBN No. 978-1-60491-154-1
CENTER FOR CREATIVE LEADERSHIP
AN IDEAS INTO ACTION GUIDEBOOK
Delegating Effectively
A Leader’s Guide to Getting Things Done
Clemson Turregano
THE IDEAS INTO ACTION GUIDEBOOK SERIES
This series of guidebooks draws on the practical knowledge that the Center for Creative Leadership (CCL) has generated since its inception in 1970. The purpose of the series is to provide leaders with specific advice on how to complete a developmental task or solve a leadership challenge. In doing that, the series carries out CCL’s mission to advance the understanding, practice, and development of leadership for the benefit of society worldwide.
CCL’s unique position as a research and education organization supports a community of accomplished scholars and educators in a community of shared knowledge. CCL’s knowledge community holds certain principles in common, and its members work together to understand and generate practical responses to the ever-changing circumstances of leadership and organizational challenges.
In its interactions with a richly varied client population, in its research into the effect of leadership on organizational performance and sustainability, and in its deep insight into the workings of organizations, CCL creates new, sound ideas that leaders all over the world put into action every day. We believe you will find the Ideas Into Action Guidebooks an important addition to your leadership toolkit.
Table of Contents
IN BRIEF
In today’s organizations, leaders are neither able nor expected to do everything themselves. The consequences of trying to do so can be dire. That’s why the ability to delegate effectively—to assign new projects and responsibilities to individuals or a team and providing the authority, resources, directions, and support needed to achieve the expected results—is an essential leadership skill. Delegation starts with creating an environment of trust and dialogue reflecting your understanding of your colleagues and the tasks that need to be accomplished. Delegation is not simply task assignment; rather, it involves giving someone the authority to do something that is normally part of the leader’s job. Effective delegation is the mark of a good leader who has developed his or her team members, direct reports, and even supervisors to readily accept and excel at myriad challenges. It is important for work efficiency as well as effectiveness. Effective delegation contributes to teamwork, demonstrating trust, and sharing authority, allowing all team members to participate in a task. This guidebook outlines the benefits of effective delegation and the fears and concerns that can prevent or hinder it, then offers four key ideas that leaders can use to enable better delegation.
Why Delegate?
Have you ever found yourself asking, “Why do I always seem to be doing all the work?” In today’s organizations, leaders are neither able nor expected to do everything themselves. The consequences of trying to do so can include burnout, missed deadlines, working long hours, being stretched too thin, and lacking the proper skills needed to complete a particular task. Failing or refusing to delegate can even contribute to a leader’s derailment—being fired or demoted or reaching a career plateau. Effective delegation is largely about being able to relate to people in productive ways, and the inability to do so is the most common reason for derailment.
These are all reasons why the ability to delegate effectively—to apportion the work among the people you supervise—is an essential leadership skill and responsibility in fast-changing environments that require high initiative and quick responses from frontline employees.
Delegating involves assigning new projects and responsibilities to individuals or a team and providing the authority, resources, directions, and support needed to achieve the expected results. Delegating is more than merely telling someone what to do. Issuing orders demands compliance; it does not engender commitment or contribute to job satisfaction. People are likely to have more commitment to implementing a decision when they feel they have ownership of the decision and are accountable for its consequences. Delegation starts with creating an environment of trust and dialogue reflecting your understanding of your colleagues and the tasks that need to be accomplished.
Nor is delegation simply task assignment, which is allocating work to an individual that falls within the realm of his or her usual duties and responsibilities. Rather, delegation involves giving someone the authority to do something that is normally part of the leader’s job.
The Center for Creative Leadership, in its work with thousands of leaders over a period of more than forty years, has developed some ideas about delegation that will be helpful for you. This guidebook outlines the benefits of effective delegation and the fears and