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Motivational Speaker Carole Spiers
separates-out the degrees of delegation
One of the commonest complaints about managers in general is that although they might be proficient at their job, they are, nevertheless, reluctant to delegate.
This reluctance may stem from a short-sighted attitude to training and development. You hand out a certain routine job to a junior, who may perform it slowly and with difficulty. Impatiently you declare that it would have been quicker just to do it yourself. But that ignores the prospect that the junior will soon acquire the necessary expertise and thus become a more accomplished performer him or herself. That temporary shortfall in efficiency is the equivalent of losing a bit of acceleration when you change up a gear. It is a well-known part of delegation theory and it is allowed-for in all delegation models.
Reporting and decision-making
There are many degrees of delegation with numerous variations of responsibility transfer.
At the lightweight end, there is the commissioning of routine research that will influence a decision to be made by the supervisor alone. Next up is an invitation to share in the decision-making process. Then the shift across to asking advice - initially, briefing the subordinate to report the situation and suggest a decision, and then simply asking to be notified of the proposed result, in case of disagreement. This is only a short step from "Just carry on and keep me posted".
It’s easy to see how these routines give you insight into people's suitability for promotion, and in the ultimate, help you with succession planning - maybe selecting the next person to occupy your own desk, in due course.
As you move up the scale, another factor starts to impact the situation. This is the extent to which the subordinate actually agrees with the proposal, instead of just agreeing to it. High responsibility can mean high culpability if things go wrong, and if the subordinate disagrees with the whole scheme, he must be allowed to log this belief, as a safeguard of credibility.
Delegating - Summary
- Delegation is essential, even when it impacts short-term efficiency
- There are many grades of delegation, with increasing consultation
- At all levels, subordinates should feel empowered
Another key insight from Carole Spiers, International Leading Authority on Corporate Stress,
Motivational Speaker and BBC Broadcaster.
