Delegation is an important professional and management skill. Being good at delegation results in better productivity and it can help create a positive work environment. Outlined here are tips on how to delegate effectively.

Plan

Confirm in your own mind that the task is suitable to be delegated. Then, consider how it can be best delegated.

Select

What are your reasons for delegating to a particular person or team? What are they going to get out of it? What are you going to get out of it?

Ponder

Is the person or team of people capable of doing the task? Do they understand what needs to be done? If not, you should not delegate the task.

Explain

Explain why the job or responsibility is being delegated - and, why to that person or team. Why is the job important/relevant? Where does it fit in the overall scheme of things?

Clarify

What needs to be achieved? Clarify understanding by getting feedback from the other person. How will the task be measured? Make sure that they know how you intend to check that the job has been successfully carried out.

Resources

Discuss and agree what is required to get the job done. Consider people, location, premises, equipment, money, materials - as well as other related activities and services.

Deadlines

When must the job be finished? Or, if an on-going duty, when are the review dates? When are reports due? If the task is complex, and/or has stages, what are the priorities?

Discuss

In order to be able to progress, you may need to confirm understanding with the other person, getting ideas and interpretation. As well as ensuring that the job can be done, this helps to reinforce commitment. Methods of checking and controlling must be agreed with the other person. Failing to agree this in advance will cause this monitoring to seem like interference or lack of trust.

Support

Consider who else needs to know what's going on, and inform them. Involve the other person in considering this so they can see beyond the issue at hand. Do not leave the person to inform your own peers of their new responsibility. Warn the person about any awkward matters of politics or protocol. Inform your own boss if the task is important.

Feedback

It is important to let the person know how they are doing, and whether they have achieved their aims. If not, you must review with them why things did not go to plan, and deal with the problems. You should absorb the consequences of failure, and pass on the credit for success.