The Secret to Letting Go…

Learn to Delegate Effectively…and Regain Your Personal Life.

“Management is not a Do-It-

Yourself Job…”
With you Today…

Melodi Szymczak Dee Clarke

Director of Everything Vital Learning Managing Affiliate
Vital Learning Corporation and Sr. Consultant,
The TEAM Approach, Inc.
Recapture Your Personal Life
 Delegation
• The assignment of one or more meaningful tasks
or responsibilities to a direct report.
• Transferring responsibility and authority to direct
reports and holding them accountable for
performance.
"Delegation is a skill of which we have all heard but which few understand. It can be used either as an
excuse for dumping failure onto the shoulders of subordinates or as a dynamic tool for motivating and
training your team to realize their full potential."
---Gerard M. Blair
 Those Who Don’t…

• Often feel behind…

• Tend to come in early, stay late and
take work home…
• Have daily “To-Do” lists that seem to
get longer every week…
 Definitions
• Accountability
– who will actually complete the task
• Authority
– the necessary “power” to complete the task
• Responsibility
– the “ownership” of the task
 Why Delegate?

• Develops talent in others

• Increases a manager’s span of control
• Uses scarce managerial resources more
effectively
• Allows for quicker response
• Legitimizes the contributions of others
 Delegation

• The assignment of one or more

meaningful tasks or responsibilities to a
direct report.
• Transferring responsibility and authority
to direct reports and holding them
accountable for performance.
Is this an example of
Delegation…
Assigning Work…
Asking a Favor?
 Is this an example of Delegating?
• Asking someone to consistently run a particular
report on a weekly basis.
• Giving someone a special project.
• Asking someone to help someone else with his/her
work…because that person is behind.
• Asking someone to attend a meeting instead of your
attending it.
• Asking someone to pick up lunch for you…since they
were going out and you weren’t planning on leaving
your desk.
 Is this an example of Delegating?
• Asking someone to become a member of the newly-
created Special Events Task Force.
• Asking someone to call the five folks that haven’t
responded yet to see if they are planning on
attending an upcoming meeting.
• Asking someone to make copies for you of a report
needed for an upcoming meeting.
• Assigning work that is regularly a part of this person’s
job description.
• Dividing incoming work assignments up between
those that report to you.
 What to Delegate
• Things that will benefit the organization
• Things that will improve the supervisor’s
own performance
• Things that improve the quality of work
life of both the supervisor and employee
• Things that will enrich direct reports’
jobs and enhance their skills
 What to Delegate
• Routine and repetitive tasks and
responsibilities
• Jobs that regularly demand major time
commitments
• Tasks a supervisor doesn’t particularly
enjoy but that others may find very
engaging and satisfying
 Barriers to Delegation

• Employee Readiness/Capability
• Organizational Readiness
• Special Situations
• Managerial Readiness
 A Good Delegator is…
• A good communicator
• Demonstrates confidence in self and others
• Allows freedom to perform
• Encourages involvement and participation
• Focuses on results
• Is proactive vs. reactive
• Is able to manage conflicts that may arise
 When Delegating…
• Define expectations and create a
“performance contract”
• Control through goals, objectives,
outcomes, and quality standards
• Establish a time frame for completion
• Determine the level of delegation authority
 Levels of Delegation Authority
• Level 1: Research - Report - I’ll decide.
• Level 2: Research - Analyze options and propose a recommendation - I’ll
decide.
• Level 3: Research - Decide – Wait for my approval before taking action.
• Level 4: Research - Decide - Implement unless you hear from me by a certain
time.
• Level 5: Take action - Inform me of your decision, in case someone asks me.
• Level 6: Handle it - No further contact is necessary. If questions, I’ll refer
them to you.
 When Delegating…

• Be realistic
• Set and honor progress or status
checkpoints and updates
• Be supportive – delegation is not abdication
• Be patient as employees develop
 The Delegation Conversation
• Set aside enough time to discuss the
assignment
• Explain the task or project
• Define the quality standards, timeframes,
milestones, due dates, and outcomes
• Review any questions the delegatee may
have
 The Delegation Conversation

• Schedule checkpoints to update progress

• Honor agreed-upon reviews of the work
• At the end, review how this project went and
determine any changes to the delegation
process for next time
 Delegating Skill Points
• Explain need for delegation
• Use delegation to motivate
• Explain task and ask team member’s view
• Specify responsibility and authority.
• Confirm team member’s understanding and
set up review time(s)
 Delegating – Vital Learning
• Video-supported
• Classroom, online, blended, and
Spanish-speaking formats
• Developed from same content for
continuity of learning
• Provides safe, relevant practice
 It’s One Solution

The
Leadership Series
Curriculum

Leadership Leadership Leadership

Series Series Series
Online Classroom Blended

Delivered In Three Ways

 The Leadership Series
• Essential Skills of • Essential Skills of
Leadership Communicating
• Coaching Job Skills • Communicating Up
• Delegating • Developing Performance Goals
• Improving Work Habits and Standards
• Providing Performance • Managing Complaints
Feedback • Resolving Conflicts
• Supporting Change • Solving Workplace Problems
• Motivating Team Members • Leading Successful Projects
• Developing and Coaching
Others
 The Leadership Series Provides

• Employee performance
• Employee involvement
• Easy to implement
• Engaged workforce
• Efficient use of time
• Economical
 Next Steps…
• Share feedback to us about this webinar
– As a thank you, we will send you a free
“Leadership Skills Needs Assessment
• Preview the “Delegating” online course –
contact the person who invited you today
• Help your managers become more
productive through effective delegation
Questions?
Thank You for Participating!

Melodi Szymczak Dee Clarke

Director of Everything Vital Learning Managing Affiliate
Vital Learning Corporation and Sr. Consultant,
The TEAM Approach, Inc.