Delegation is a powerful tool that can enhance productivity, improve efficiency, and foster organizational growth. However, mastering the art of delegation requires identifying the right tasks to delegate. Here are 7 effective strategies to help you be better at delegation.

1. How to Master the Art of Delegation

To delegate effectively, you must first recognize your strengths and weaknesses. That's right; it starts with you. By understanding where your skills excel and where they fall short, you assess what to delegate. Start by identifying tasks that align with your strengths. Delegate those that don't. The data supports this.  

Organizations can capitalize on their potential and achieve better outcomes by delegating tasks that align with employees' strengths.

For instance, if you excel in strategic planning but need help with planning, look for ways to work with someone good at defining the details. This way, your team member gets a chance to understand the big picture and help you create the needed documents, to back up your strategy. This way, you can work to your strengths and expertise, making you more effective, productive, and happier.

Note: you do need to be able to read, review and understand the details. So do make time to work with your team member and review content before releasing documents.

"A good leader knows his strengths, but a great leader knows his weaknesses." 

• John C. Maxwell, an author and leadership expert

2. Start delegating by considering workload and priorities 

Another crucial factor in identifying tasks for delegation is workload, and priorities is to know when to say 'no'. 

Some work can be done, some delegated, and some work is just unnecessary. Projects often include work needed as part of corporate policies, but if it does not meet a clear need, question it. Try to follow the rule and do the minimum needed to meet the documentation requirements. Touch, do, or review once. If you like to work iteratively like I do, time box your work and revisions. Choose where perfectionism is needed and where it is too costly to employ.

"The difference between successful people and very successful people is that very successful people say 'no' to almost everything."

• Warren Buffett, Investor

It is essential to evaluate your workload and determine which tasks can be delegated to allow time for essential responsibilities and strategic thinking.

Data reveals the potential time-saving benefits of delegation. According to a study by Harvard Business Review, executives who delegate effectively save an average of 20% of their time. This extra time can be reinvested in high-impact activities that drive organizational success, such as team mentoring and stakeholder management.

For example, a project manager overloaded with administrative tasks and delegating them to an administrative assistant can free up critical project planning and stakeholder management time. This enables the project manager to focus on strategic decision-making and ensures tasks are completed efficiently.

Now that you know that good delegation can make you more effective and efficient, let's review how to improve this important leadership skill.

3. Focus on being an effective delegator 

To ensure successful delegation, we will explore the key empowering, enhancing, enabling, and engaging steps. By following these steps, you can become a master of delegation and foster a productive and motivated team. How can you tell if you are doing right? Your team will tell you - through their performance and their job satisfaction. But why not go one step further?

• Discuss plans to delegate at your next team meeting

• Be transparent about your goals to delegate more

• Find out who wants to take on new work

• Allow the group to define workload rebalancing

4. Empower your team

Empowerment is the foundation of successful delegation. It involves trusting your team members with responsibilities and giving them the authority to make decisions. Start by clearly defining the task or project and communicate your expectations. Allow your team members the freedom to take ownership of their work and encourage them to think creatively. By empowering individuals, you boost their confidence and foster a sense of ownership and accountability.  

If the team member has an idea for a better way to do the work, let them try. I have run teams where the team member found ways to automate work. Yes, it took longer to set up, but it significantly reduced workloads once done. The entire team was proud of the innovation. This empowered the team to review all repetitive tasks for improvement potential. The shared pride and satisfaction in job ownership and agency to create better solutions had a lasting effect on the project culture. 

5. Enhance team capabilities

Enhancing your team's capabilities is the next crucial step in effective delegation. Identify the strengths and weaknesses of each team member and assign tasks that align with their skills and interests. Provide necessary resources, training, or mentoring to help them develop new skills and grow professionally. Investing in their Development improves their performance and builds a more versatile and engaged team.

Learning and Development on the job is an effective cross-training method. I ran a department where monthly meetings included training done by one of the members to the others. The team could put forward ideas for training. If we needed the skill set, we invited someone from another department to share their knowledge. 

6. Enable individual skills and contribution 

Doing this goes beyond just providing resources. It involves creating a supportive environment where individuals feel comfortable seeking guidance or assistance. Be approachable and open to answering questions or providing clarification whenever needed. Establish clear channels of communication and encourage open dialogue within the team. By enabling effective communication, you ensure everyone is on the same page and can address any challenges or obstacles together.

Projects and Problem-solving are collaborative by nature. So, let the team work collaboratively on delegated tasks. You can increase team ownership for tasks and share the workload. 

Encourage collaboration and foster a positive team culture where everyone feels valued and encouraged to contribute ideas. Creating a sense of purpose and belonging inspires your team to go above and beyond.

7. Engage passion for performance

Engagement is the final piece of the puzzle regarding successful delegation. Keep your team motivated and engaged by recognizing and appreciating their efforts. Delegation does not mean throwing work over the fence. Leaders want to meet regularly with team members. Review and provide feedback on work and solutions. Keep performance high by focusing on achievements and areas for improvement. People want to get better, so be sure to give feedback focusing on improvement. 

When people raise their hands to do more, innovate, or collaborate, reward them. This can be done by:

1. Celebrating new roles or delegated responsibilities at task meetings

2. Highlight innovative work's benefits and name the responsible persons. 

3. Inviting senior management to a team meeting to let the team showcase their work.

4. Documenting the details of efforts in performance reviews.

5. Look for opportunities for new roles to let your engaged staff grow.

6. Review bonus, pay, and promotion options for those who continue to do more.

Transform your team through smart delegation 

(a real-world example)

Delegation may be an art, but it doesn't have to be hard. Open your eyes to the possibilities of delegation to your team. Try things out, adjust, ask for feedback, and keep trying. 

Let me share a story that happened in the early 1990s. I was the Director of Accounting and Systems in Silicon Valley. Accounts Payable was one of the teams that reported to me. This is the group responsible for paying suppliers. And in manufacturing, late payments mean delayed deliveries and unhappy suppliers—a problem this group faced for some time. My predecessor had addressed this issue by micro-managing and badgering the team.

My solution? I delegated. In fact, I delegated not the work but the outcome. We needed happy suppliers to provide the materials needed for research and production. And happy suppliers need their checks on time. So I met the team over breakfast and asked them to reorganize with that goal in mind. They could name the new 'company', and create roles and processes as long as they met accounting rules and the goal of on-time payment. 

As a result, the team created a board, oversight, and teams. They elected natural leaders, and built better checks and balances with my help. And they turned around the payment processing within a few months. This took delegation to another level. It changed the mindset of the team. And changed the idea of what a team could be. The natural, team-elected leaders became supervisors with commensurate pay. But these leaders continued to run the team as a cooperative. They reviewed working methods and looked for opportunities to innovate and delegate to improve the workload.

You Can Master the Art of Delegation

Mastering the art of delegation requires a thoughtful approach that focuses on empowering, enhancing, enabling, and engaging your team. By following these key steps, you can build a high-performing team that is motivated, capable, and eager to take on new challenges. Remember, effective delegation is not just about getting tasks done; it's about nurturing talent, fostering growth, and achieving collective success. So, start delegating with confidence and watch your team thrive!