Today you’re going to learn how to how to delegate tasks effectively.
Delegating tasks is an essential skill for getting the most out of your personal effectiveness, whether you are a corporate executive, a retail manager, or a work-at-home mom. On the other hand, delegating tasks can be difficult; you have to be tough while still maintaining trust in the person to whom you are delegating your responsibilities.
This article will help you overcome any fears you may have about delegating work, as well as walk you through the process of doing it in a professional and respectful manner.
How To Delegate Tasks Effectively:
1. Leave your ego at the door.
If you want something done right, do it yourself, which is a major mental obstacle to delegation. You are not the only one who can do it correctly.
You may be the only one who can do it correctly now, but if you take the time to teach someone, they will most likely be able to do it correctly as well. Who knows, they may even do it faster or better than you, which you should not only accept but welcome.
Think about it rationally and realistically: are you capable of doing this task yourself? Will you have to work yourself to death to balance this job with your other responsibilities?
If so, you should be prepared to delegate some responsibilities. Don’t feel embarrassed or inept if you need help with anything; in fact, getting help when you need it makes you a more productive employee.
2. Stop waiting for volunteers to come forward.
If you’re hesitant to delegate tasks, you may be suffering from a mild case of martyr syndrome—you’re undoubtedly stressed and wondering why no one is offering to help.
Be honest with yourself: are you saying no to them just to be nice when they do? Do you have a sneaking suspicion that they didn’t insist? Do you think that if the roles were reversed, you would welcome the opportunity to help them?
If you answered “yes,” you need to try to regain control of your circumstances. Get the help you need now instead of waiting for it to come to you.
Many people are completely unaware of what others are going through, and there is little you can do about it. Don’t allow yourself to become frustrated if others don’t help; remember that you are ultimately responsible for explaining your needs.
3. Don’t take offense at requests for help.
Many people are reluctant to ask for help. You may feel guilty or ashamed, as if you are burdening others or as if you think (for whatever reason) that you should be able to handle things on your own.
4. Learn to put your faith in others.
If you’re hesitant to delegate tasks because you think no one can do a better job than you, remember two things: First, that virtually anyone can become proficient at anything with enough effort, and second, that you are probably not as multi-talented as you think.
By delegating work, you not only free up time for yourself, but you also give your assistant the opportunity to learn a new skill or work on a different type of project. If enough time is devoted to it, it will most likely be able to complete the task to the employee’s satisfaction.
If the task being delegated is not critical, there is no problem with the assistant learning over time how to do the job well. If the task is critical, think carefully before you delegate it!
Even if you are the best at the task you want to outsource, remember that delegating tasks frees up your time to spend on other things. You can delegate a rather repetitive activity to an intern, even if you do the best job in the company, but you have an important presentation to prepare for.
It’s much better to prioritize difficult, complicated work; don’t feel terrible about outsourcing basic, repetitive tasks when you have more important duties to perform.
SEE ALSO: How To Prioritize Tasks Effectively: 15 Practical Methods
5. Take action.
The first step is the hardest, but also the most important. You need to take the step and ask for help (or, if you’re the boss, instruct someone to help you).
Don’t feel bad about it; as long as you’re polite, friendly, and cordial, asking (or instructing) someone to help you is not disrespectful. Try to be polite and compassionate while keeping in mind the seriousness of your request.
If you’re not sure how to ask someone to do a task for you (1), make it short and sweet. Something like: “Hello, can I speak with you for a moment? I was hoping you could help me stack a large stack of documents we just received. Since I am out of the office today, I will not be able to do that. Are you able to help me? “
Don’t put too much pressure on your assistant, but make sure he or she understands why this is required.
If you ask, (most likely) you will be able to get it. Don’t hesitate to delegate tasks because you may be perceived as being too obsequious or too pushy.
Think about it: how do you react when someone asks you to do something? Do you feel offended and hurt? Or are you (usually) happy to help? Most likely, the latter!
6. Don’t take rejections too seriously.
People are not always able to help you-this is unfortunate, but true. This can be due to many factors, the most common of which is that the person you asked is already very busy with their own work.
Don’t take it personally if someone can’t (or won’t) do anything for you right now; it doesn’t mean they despise you. It usually means they are too busy or too lazy to do anything else.
If you’re met with a refusal, consider your options: gently but firmly convincing them that you really need this person’s help (this will work especially well if you’re a supervisor or someone in authority), asking someone else, or doing the task yourself. If you desperately need help, don’t be afraid to use options one and/or two!
7. Delegate the goal, not the process.
This is the secret to avoiding becoming a micromanager’s nightmare. Set clear expectations about the type of results you want to achieve and show the person how to do it. Whatever they like, let them know that they can do it however they want, as long as it is done correctly and on time.
This is also wise because it saves time and anxiety. Instead of constantly worrying about how your assistant is doing, use the time that has been freed up to accomplish something more important.
8. Be prepared to train your assistant.
Even if the task you’ve delegated to your assistant is simple, you should almost always take the time to train him or her. Remember that what seems like a basic and easy procedure to us may not be so to someone who has never dealt with it before.
Be prepared not only to guide the other person through the tasks assigned to him, but also to patiently answer any questions he may have.
Consider the time spent training an employee as a sound long-term investment. Investing some time in training them to do their job correctly, rather than correcting their mistakes, can save you time in the future.
9. Assign the resources needed to complete the task.
You may have the resources needed to perform the task, but the person assigned to it may not be able to use them. You may need password-protected data, specialized equipment, and specific tools to perform this operation, so make sure the assistant has everything he or she needs.
SEE ALSO: How To Be Efficient In The Workplace: 14 Top Strategies
10. Be aware that the assistant can only do one thing at a time.
When someone is assisting you, the other person is not performing their typical duties. Remember that your helper, like you, probably has a busy schedule.
Ask yourself: what work will he or she delegate or set aside to complete your task? When assigning work to someone, make sure you know the answer to this question.
11. Be patient with yourself.
While learning how to do a new task, the person you assign it to will make mistakes. This is all part of the learning process.
Be prepared for it. Don’t give someone a job without first making sure they can do it without error.
It’s your responsibility, not his, if a project doesn’t turn out the way you intended because your employee wasn’t able to flawlessly complete a brand new task you gave him. Be a resource for your assistant, and the assigned tasks will become a learning experience rather than an unpleasant chore.
When you teach someone how to do something, you are making an investment. It will slow you down at first, but in the long run it will increase your productivity by leaps and bounds because you approached the situation with a positive and realistic attitude.
12. Be prepared for setbacks.
Prepare contingency plans and be prepared to act if something goes wrong. Understand what will happen if you miss a deadline or benchmark.
Obstacles and unforeseen impediments occur regularly, whether at work or at home; even technology sometimes fails. Let your helper believe in you that if something unexpected comes up, you will understand and help them meet the deadline; don’t put a lot of pressure on them at the first sign of trouble.
This is also wise from a selfish point of view; if your assistant fears criticism, he will spend more time covering his own back than actually completing the task.
13. Appreciate someone else’s help when you need it.
If you want to take on more and more responsibility, you will need to delegate responsibilities to others. It is counterproductive to delegate work, allowing another employee to work diligently on it, and then take full credit for it. Be sure to acknowledge and praise the efforts of others on your behalf.
Be sure to mention your helper’s name each time you receive praise for work he or she has helped you with.
14. Express your gratitude
When someone goes above and beyond to help you, it’s important to thank them, recognize the importance of their help, and let them know how much they are appreciated (2).
If you don’t, you’ll come off as ungrateful, even if you’re not. Remember that no one can read your mind. When people feel appreciated, they are more likely to volunteer to help again.
Be kind in your actions. “I couldn’t have done it without you!” is a simple, sincere acknowledgement that can be very helpful. If this person has done their best to help you, you can offer them lunch, a drink, a thank-you card, or a small gift.
Thank you for reading this article about how to delegate tasks effectively and I really hope that you take action my advice.
I wish you good luck and I hope its contents have been a good help to you.
