Jill Geisler: 10 questions for leaders who want to be better delegators

Ask managers how they’re doing these days, and you’re likely to get the universal answer: “Busy. Really busy.”

Today’s leaders must navigate meetings, projects, personnel issues, paperwork, planning, hiring, coaching, strategizing — and putting out the inevitable fires. But when a well-meaning person says, “Maybe you could delegate a few things,” it can frustrate the manager. That’s because delegation isn’t so easy. Successful delegation requires a customized design, built around the expectations of bosses, the competence of team members, the workloads of everyone involved and the manager’s own assumptions, preferences and fears.

Design your delegation plan

Let’s assume you want to be better at delegating to gain more control of your time and provide growth opportunities for others. Here are 10 questions to help you get started on designing your personal delegation plan.

1 What are duties only you should do? Every manager has core responsibilities that may draw on their unique talents or require closely held information for competitive, strategic or personnel reasons. Such responsibilities may involve using your formal power to get people on board with a project or to lead change. Make a list of the responsibilities you’re certain you can’t delegate. That’s your starting place.

2 Which duties do you take on because you’re exceptionally good at them? Competence is a motivator. We’re energized by doing things at which we excel, even if we aren’t the only ones who could do them. I often remind newly promoted managers to stop doing their old jobs, even if they can do them brilliantly. Showing the team you have the touch is not the best use of your time. If you’re good at something that others could do, isn’t it time to give them a shot?

3 Which responsibilities give you joy? If there’s something you really love, but it’s not core to your work, you don’t have to abandon it — just do less of it. Let’s say you’re terrific at training people, but now you’re supposed to oversee those who do it. Determine if you can keep your hand in from time to time without bigfooting your team or overloading your schedule, then make certain everyone knows your intentions. Are you doing it to keep connected to the needs of those on the front lines? Are you doing it to stay fresh? Are you doing it to give others a break? Does it feed your soul? Tell them.

4 What do you know about your team members’ workloads? Managers often believe they can’t delegate because everyone’s stretched too thin. Check your assumptions. Find out if overload is a perception or a reality — and if a reality, figure out how to address it. We owe it to our team members to know the scope of their responsibilities, along with the systems and workflow that affect them. Your research may reveal that peoples’ definitions of swamped can vary from person to person. Tuning in to the reality of their work lets you see who could or should take on some of your tasks.

5 What do you know about team members’ aspirations? Do you have staff who are ready for a stretch assignment — something that may be scary at first, like taking the lead on a new initiative or updating a system? Think back to your own leadership journey. Maybe you craved one of those opportunities and jumped at it. Or perhaps someone tapped you for a big assignment even before you knew you were ready — and it was a turning point moment for you. Delegation can be a terrific engagement tool for people who love to learn and grow.

6 How will you make sure you don’t set people up to fail? The more important the delegated task, the more important it is for the staffer to know you have their back. Some duties you’ll delegate involve training. You owe that to people, along with sufficient time to learn and latitude to make a few honest mistakes. If the duties you’ve delegated require the involvement of other departments, help them build those bridges. Let everyone know this person is acting on your behalf and that you’re giving them both responsibility and authority.

7 What kind of feedback will you provide? Be available without hovering. It’s better to talk upfront about how you’d like to do status reports on the delegated work. Whether it’s a big stretch assignment or smaller task, your feedback is essential. It can make the difference between employees feeling they are growing, appreciated and coached — or being taken for granted, dumped on and micromanaged.

8 When delegating decision-making responsibility, do you lay out the parameters? Be clear about your expectations when you delegate decision-making. What can they decide completely on their own? In what scenario should they decide and then brief you afterward? When should they get your input before a final decision? Under what circumstances do you want them to hand the responsibility back to you?

9 How do you factor your boss into your delegation decisions? It’s important to be on the same page as your manager about delegation strategies. Good leaders want you to delegate wisely, but your understanding of essential duties or stretch assignments may differ. If you’re delegating to help someone grow or get them some greater visibility in the organization, it works far better if your boss is on board. If someone is going to replace you in certain meetings, it shouldn’t be a surprise to your boss. It’s better to share your intentions in advance with your supervisor or with other leaders in your organization who may be affected by the switch.

10 How will you use the time you’ve freed up? Be intentional. What important-but-not-urgent things can you do after you’ve taken some things off your plate? You could provide more high-quality feedback and coaching to your team, something I’ve written about it past columns. You could also take time for more strategic planning. Or maybe you’ll indulge in the luxury of just thinking. Many leaders tell me it’s a guilty pleasure they truly crave.

Go for it

Lose the guilt. Delegate wisely and fearlessly. I can’t promise you won’t still be busy — but you will be doing your best work.