The raised awareness of mental health in the workplace has made delegation a focus. Leaders must delegate workloads to ease their burden and reduce stress levels. It also makes workers feel more valued.

However, delegating tasks is a tricky practice. You must consider when delegation is necessary, who to delegate to, and your delegation approach. With the right strategies, you will establish yourself as a strong leader.

Know Which Tasks to Delegate

So which tasks should you delegate to employees? Any one that does not require your direct leadership or personal touch.

For example, if you are expected at a meeting, you would never want to send an employee in your stead. If a customer is requesting to speak to a superior, you would disappoint them by having a rep handle the matter. However, most other tasks can be delegated.

Finding the Right Person for the Job

Next, you must determine which employee to assign to which task. Consider your employees’ strengths and weaknesses. Delegate tasks based on their skill level.

Delegation can go beyond skill level. For example, you may assign an event-planning task to someone who does not have much experience in that field. The idea is to help them rise to the occasion and develop their skill set.

However, if the task is important, you must find the most skilled worker for the job.

How to Delegate Successfully

• Communicate Clearly: The employee must understand the requirements, expected outcomes, and timelines of the project.
• Provide the Necessary Resources: Which tools, information, and authority will the worker require to perform the task? Ensure they have the resources they need to achieve success.
• Follow-up: Check in with the worker regularly to see how they are doing with the task. Offer assistance and guidance as needed. Avoid a micromanaging approach.
• Offer Constructive Feedback: Offer feedback throughout the project and upon completion to help the employee develop their skills.
• Delegation is an Investment: Think of delegation as an investment in your employee. The skills they develop will be valuable throughout your relationship.
• Incorporate Technology in Delegation: Various technological tools can aid with delegation. Shared workspaces like Slack and Asana are recommended. They assign tasks, establish deadlines, and help involved parties keep track of progress.

Overcoming Challenges

Delegation does not come naturally to every leader. Some feel no one can perform the task as well as they can. They may also find it difficult to tell people what to do.

CEOs should think of delegation as an exercise in trust. You are building trust in your workers, developing, their skills, and establishing yourself as a leader. Adopt this mindset to overcome delegation challenges.

Delegation in the Remote Workspace

Delegation becomes more challenging considering the current climate of remote work. Leaders may struggle to communicate tasks. There are fewer opportunities for check-ins that ensure projects run on time.

Leaders can overcome the challenges of delegation in the remote workspace by scheduling video calls and virtual meetings. Digital workspaces will also keep workers on track. Technology plays a vital role in keeping teams connected outside of a physical office.

How to Measure the Impact of Delegation

CEOs must also regularly measure the impact of delegation to ensure their efforts are paying off. They should determine metrics that measure an employee’s productivity. They may also use surveys and feedback to learn how delegation efforts are boosting employee skills, engagement, and morale.

Measuring delegation impact helps leaders determine what’s working and what isn’t. They can fine-tune their delegation strategy. They can discover the best ways to empower teams.

What are the Benefits of Delegation?

• Reduces Stress: Delegation reduces leaders’ workloads, so they experience less stress at the workplace. It helps them achieve a better work-life balance.
• Skills Development: The delegation of tasks allows employees to develop their skills and become a more powerful force in the workplace and their industry.
• Increased Productivity: When tasks are assigned to one person, they can fall behind on their workloads. Delegation assigns tasks to multiple people and can increase productivity.
• Promotes Trust: When leaders delegate tasks, they show workers they trust them to get the job done. Employees also become more trusting of leaders who believe in them.

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Additional Resources

Harnessing the Power of Behavioral Economics in CEO Decision Making

Personal Branding for CEOs: Building Your Executive Presence Online and Offline

Why CEO Job Security is Decreasing and Tips for Managing this Troubling Trend