Delegating work is the cornerstone of successful leadership. Yet many managers struggle with this essential skill. They either take on too much work themselves or fail to hand over tasks to subordinates and colleagues in a way that ensures the team as a whole operates efficiently. Do you too feel you have shortcomings in delegating work? Don't worry: you aren't alone. Here are the most common reasons why this happens.
This text is based on an article from the Harvard Business Review.
Lack of trust
The most frequent reason behind reluctance or inability to delegate work to subordinates is a lack of trust in their abilities. This may be entirely conscious or hidden. If this is your case, develop a plan to increase the competencies of your subordinates and allow them to earn your trust.
Perfectionism
Many managers tend to be perfectionists. They believe that if they are assigned certain tasks, these must be executed flawlessly. However, this is not always the right approach, as not all tasks have such high priority that they must be perfect. Moreover, you can agree with subordinates that you will act as a reviewer of the final output and only revise their work at the final stage.
Unclear or insufficient structure in passing on information
A common problem is also poorly set communication. Delegation of tasks should follow a clear structure, and the manager should adhere to this outline whenever handing over work.
Poor selection of tasks and projects to delegate
Another complication may be that you select tasks which are unsuitable for delegation while not delegating tasks that should be delegated. This problem often manifests itself as managers delegating only the most routine and administrative duties while unnecessarily keeping the more complex, time-consuming tasks for themselves.
Delegating work given insufficient priority
Do you perceive delegation as a necessity, essential for the successful functioning of the team, or merely as a necessary evil that you turn to only when you are overwhelmed with work? Delegating and distributing work should take place continuously and in all circumstances. Only then will your team truly learn how to pass on tasks effectively.
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