Becoming a Better Delegator

Lighten your own load for more productivity

By Diane Benson Harrington, Freelance Writer Diane Benson Harrington

Although it often seems like you have to do a job yourself if you want it done right, you'll find you can get more done — and be less stressed — if you share the joy with others on your team. Delegation isn't really the hassle you think it is. These three steps will set you on your way to focusing on what really matters:

Determine exactly what you have on your plate.
Evaluate which tasks can be handled by someone else — and whom.
Follow up appropriately to ensure the job is being done on time and on point.

Prioritize your workload

List everything you need to accomplish, and assign priority codes (A, B, C, etc.).
Try: Download a template of a prioritized to-do list from MindTools.com.

Break down projects into smaller tasks

It may not seem plausible to push an entire project off onto another person's desk — but you probably can give someone else smaller components of it, such as research or phone calls.
Try: FranklinCovey's PlanPlus software can help you put the elements of a task into hierarchical view.

Evaluate which employees' skills best match the tasks

Don't assign just any task to any person. The least personable employee isn't the right one to contact clients; the one who hates turning in expense sheets probably isn't the best choice for crunching a project's numbers.
Try: Delegation Template Tools can help you determine how best to divvy up a task based on various employees' skill sets. Use Project Management Templates from the Project Agency to keep track of which tasks you've assigned to which employees.

Follow up on their success — and yours

Just because you assigned a task doesn't mean it's going to be done correctly, or on time. Follow up periodically throughout the day or week to ensure everything is on track and that the employees have no questions.
Try: A program like EasyProjects.Net provides a Web-based format for keeping on top of everyone's progress. Primavera's Project Management Assessment Tool can help you determine how effectively your organization is getting things done.

When delegating all or part of a rush project, be sure you're not entrusting too much to an untested employee.
Put projects in writing. The more specific you are about what needs to be done and what steps to take, the more likely your employee is to complete the task successfully.
Be prepared for questions. Don't get discouraged if your employees need to ask lots of questions at the outset. Once they get the hang of the tasks you need accomplished, they'll be able to whiz through them without constantly touching base.
Periodically review your to-do list. As new projects or tasks land on your desk, evaluate them to see what you can pass on to others.