Productivity Through Others: How to be a Delegation Diva

"It will just be faster if I do it myself." Or, "I know if I want it done right, I should do it." Does this sound like you?

Learning to delegate can be tough. Not because someone else isn't willing to help out, although that might be an issue. Generally, however, delegation becomes difficult when you're the person who has to let go. Perhaps you're insecure about what to let go, who to ask, or what their reaction will be; or, maybe you find it difficult to delegate because you like what you do and can't imagine anyone doing it better.

Preparation Is Key

One of the first things you need to consider is why you're delegating. If you've just been promoted, congratulations; this is your opportunity to shine and show your boss what you're capable of handling. If, on the other hand, you have too much on your plate and your supervisor feels it's time to hand some of the work off so you can take on other assignments, that's good news, too.

But, keep in mind: Delegating is not about giving away the junk jobs so you can focus on the plum projects. It's about identifying where your strengths lie and how you can contribute to the success of your team, department and organization. Begin by having a conversation with your supervisor to identify your role in the team. Promotion or not, if you're expected to delegate, you need to have a clear understanding of your boss's expectations so that you can determine what things are essential for you to handle in order to meet your goals.

Next, make a list of all that you do on a regular basis - daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly, annually. This list should contain everything from the mundane (i.e., responding to daily phone calls and e-mails) to the more complicated (i.e., coordinating quarterly sales meetings). Only by looking at how your day is spent can you really assess what needs to go and what needs to stay.

Once you understand your role, your goals, and what duties you currently perform, you can determine which tasks make the most sense to delegate. Hopefully, these tasks will be responsibilities that your coworker(s) will find challenging and rewarding, too.

The Delegation Transition

Before you delegate anything, you need to consider who on the team can take on these delegated tasks. You should base your decision on each person's strengths, as well as the developmental opportunity it might present for the person receiving the responsibility. In addition, be sure you're delegating worthwhile tasks. Are they absolutely essential?

Many times, duties become part of our everyday workload, and we never give a second thought to the fact that they just might be obsolete or that there may be a better way to do something. Before you delegate a responsibility, consider if it can be eliminated, outsourced to another department or vendor, or automated to make it more efficient.

Once you're ready to delegate, develop a plan of how to accomplish each task and how the training will occur. Don't set up someone for failure by not fully disclosing how, when and why each assignment needs to be completed. Be sure to communicate your expectations to your teammate the same way your supervisor communicated his to you. Without being a micromanager, arrange a method of how you'll monitor the successful completion of each task. Also, be sure to communicate that you're available for answers during the learning period.

The whole idea behind delegation is to ensure that work is handled in the most-efficient manner possible. And while it's often easier to continue doing what we've always done, learning to delegate can be the greatest boost to our careers.