I recently discussed the importance of delegation in my blog post “Why do we find delegating so difficult?” – but I thought it was important to expand on that by outlining what I feel the secrets are to successful delegation.

The biggest stumbling block, I find, to effective delegation is – you have to place your trust in someone else to complete work to your standard.

But the solution really is simple – put steps in place to ensure employees or agencies can do the job the way you want it done!

Here’s my easy three-step guide to successful delegation:

Explain the task thoroughly

No-one can undertake an assignment without a proper brief. Often, managers assume they are the only one who can undertake certain tasks because all the knowledge about how to complete it is in their head. I don’t mean to over-simplify here, but get those details out of your head and structure them on paper into a ‘how to’ guide. Go through this with the individual you are delegating to and make sure they understand what is expected of them.

Ensure robust systems and procedures are in place

To complete any task satisfactorily, you need the right tools for the job. With many administrative tasks, the right tools are the systems and procedures that underpin what you do. Make sure documents you need are easily accessible, anything that needs to be recorded has a file ready and waiting and there is an easy-to-follow process to complete the task.

Deliver tailored in-house training

Never assume a person should know how things are done in your organisation. Even if they have extensive industry knowledge and have undertaken similar tasks for other companies, you will have your own way of doing things – and this needs explaining. Even when outsourcing to an agency or service supplier, delivering job-specific training to show them how you want things done is imperative.

Follow these three steps and you are setting employees up for success. Have confidence in them and let them try.

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