Success at Work : Techniques : Delegation

By Stephen Bucaro

Many people don't understand delegation. When they think of delegation, they think of old slogan "shit always flows down hill". Proper delegation can make your team into a high performance machine. Poor delegation can result in mistakes, poor quality, and missed schedules. In this article, I'm going to reveal some powerful delegation techniques.

Most people think delegation always flows downward. An executive delegates a task to a manager, who delegates task to a supervisor, who delegates task to a worker. That is typically way delegation flows, but powerful advantages can be gained when delegation flows sideways and upwards too.

Responsibility Flow

Although sometimes there are advantages to sideways and upwards delegation, responsibility always flows upwards. Let's say a worker makes a serious mistake and doesn't meet schedule. Should worker be fired?

The supervisor was given a task along with authority and resources (the department's workers) to get task done. The supervisor's manager is not going accept supervisor putting blame on employee. The supervisor should have been monitoring task and taking action if it wasn't going right. Should supervisor be fired?

The manager was given a task along with authority and resources (the manager's department) to get task done. The executive who assigned task is not going accept manager putting blame on supervisor. A manager has responsibility to make and break supervisors in their department. If manager didn't select and train a supervisor they can rely on to get job done, it's managers fault. Should manager be fired?

The executive in charge of manager needs to explain to CEO or President of company that job did not get done right. I think you're beginning to see pattern. Although delegation usually flows downhill, responsibility always flows uphill.

That's not to say that an under performing employee can't get fired for making a mistake or failing to get work done on time. But somewhere up chain of command someone should have taken action to get task back on track before it became a problem.

- When you delegate a task, someone else does work, but you are still responsible for results.

Downward Delegation

One of biggest mistakes made with downward delegation is bypassing chain of command. For example, a manager bypasses supervisor and delegates a job directly to a worker. That manager has just made two mistakes.

The manager relieved supervisor of all responsibility for that task and all other tasks, because a supervisor can't be held responsible if they can't control their resources. The manager also removed supervisor's authority over worker because worker now feels that they report directly to manager, same as supervisor does.

- If you are an executive or manager, never bypass chain of command. This will destroy effectiveness of your department, and since responsibility always flows uphill, you will be cutting your own throat.

Sideways Delegation

Let's say you are given a task and a part of this task requires a skill in which you are not proficient. You might choose to sideways delegate task to a more proficient resource. Sometimes this is done officially via a multi- departmental project team. Sometimes a manager just asks manager of another department to perform that part of task. Even a worker may ask a co-worker to perform part of a task for them.

Sideways delegation can improve a company's performance if done properly. To be done properly, all parties involved must be informed of delegation and advantage to gained by company from sideways delegated task. Even when all these conditions are met, original owner of task remains responsible for task.

Upwards Delegation

The open-format Christmas office party is a piece of cake compared to a seated lunch or dinner. At a buffet-type function you can move around, which means you can disappear when you want to. You don’t want to get caught hiding out in ladies’ room all night, but since you’re free to move around, you can leave any person or group when you want, and even leave room.

However, at seated affair you are trapped. If it strikes fear in your heart, you aren’t alone. Even for a pro, this isn’t easy. Here are some tips:

IT ISN’T A PARTY

Never forget this. It may superficially appear different (new place, new people), but remember everything you say can and will be used against you.

You’ll be seeing these people Monday morning. If you think it’s hard to face a one-night stand after creeping out of her house in middle of night, wait till you have to face your boss Monday morning after getting sloppy drunk Saturday night and spilling your guts about some personal problem you can’t handle. I mean how will (s)he expect you to be a competent Marketing Director when you were crying because your cat had died? I know two things have nothing to do with one another, but your boss doesn't.

Think of word "mortifying." No one needs to know about your hysterectomy, how well Viagra works for you, that your young wife left you, that you think new manager stinks, or anything else about your personal life.

You simply are not free to say anything you want to.

FOLLOW THE LEADER

Once seated, you must watch leader to know what to do. It can be boss, or his or her spouse, whichever one is dominant. Watch what they’re doing. Emily Post may say not to eat asparagus with your fingers, but if your boss' wife is, you really need to think about it. In most cases, I'd go ahead and do it along with her. If you don’t, you’re making a statement. It's that important what your boss and his or her partner do. Don’t start to eat until they do. If they don’t order dessert, you don’t. Monkey see, monkey do.

CONVERSATION

General conversation while you’re being seated will devolve into one conversation dominated by boss at least for a while, often for entire meal. Your job is to pay attention. If boss, sometimes aided and abetted by a crony or colleague, starts in on a monologue, be an attentive audience. Look horrified if something bad happened, laugh if he tells a joke, maintain eye contact, be respectful. It can amount to a performance. It’s almost always dominated by males.

FOOLS RUSH IN

There may be lulls in this monologue from boss. Don't attempt to fill them if you're an amateur. Nowhere does expression "fools rush in where angels fear to tread" apply more fully.