How to use delegation to develop your staff
In a nutshell, managers need to delegate to get things done. But, if used wisely, delegation has additional advantages. It can enrich the work of your staff, develop their management skills, instil in them a sense of commitment to the organisation’s goals, reveal to you their previously undisclosed talents, and prepare them for advancement. Delegation can indeed be a rewarding tool for staff development - provided you adhere to a number of important principles...
1. Try not to delegate only to the most capable people.
Resist the temptation to delegate only to the most capable staff members. Certainly the strong will get stronger - but the weak will only get weaker. By distributing assignments widely, you will be building a team of versatile performers and a handy group to have when emergencies arise.
When delegating to someone who has less than ideal experience, skills, or knowledge, select at least an individual willing to learn (with some help) how to do the job. In this way people develop, and staff development should be one of your major aims whenever you delegate.
2. Select assignments that will stretch your staff.
The purpose of developmental delegation is to build staff confidence in handling unfamiliar tasks, though the aim is ill-served if they fail on the first attempt. Delegate more than just ‘jobs’: motivate staff by delegating tasks that are interesting, and challenging - but not to breaking point.
3. Treat any foul-up as a learning experience.
An effective way to develop staff is to let them make mistakes on their own. If the consequences aren’t too great, watch them do it wrong the first time; they’ll appreciate the right way the next time. If they foul up an assignment, don’t make a big issue of the failure. If you punish learning behaviour, you paralyse staff members and undermine their confidence. If they fear reprimands and criticism, they’ll take fewer risks and ultimately perform poorly. To guard against foul-ups, remember to assign tasks only where success is probable, and always first take the time to check that your delegated assignment is clearly understood.
