In a couple of recent posts, we’ve been discussing the topic of delegation and what new managers—really all managers, for that matter—need to understand when it comes to assigning work to subordinates.
In the first post, we talked about how to identify which tasks are suitable to be delegated to others; in the second, we looked at the important difference between delegating authority and delegating responsibility.
Here, we’ll take a look at some questions to ask when reviewing how a delegation arrangement has been working and when to consider revising the parameters.
Is the Work Getting Completed Satisfactorily?
The first and probably most important question to ask is whether the work you’ve delegated is getting done and done well enough. If not, something obviously needs to change. The question is not “Is the work being done as well as if I’d done it myself?” or “Is the work being done the exact way I would have done it?” Delegation means giving up some control.
How Frequently are Issues Escalated to Me?
One of the primary reasons to delegate is to free up time for the person doing the delegating. If the subordinate is constantly coming to you for advice or permission, you will need to consider some adjustments to make the subordinate more independent.
How Often do I Find It Necessary to Interject?
As frustrating as it can be to have a subordinate constantly coming to you for escalation, it’s preferable to a situation in which mistakes are being made but aren’t brought to your attention, forcing you to constantly check in. Ideally, your subordinate is able to keep you up to date with regular reporting without asking you to take direct action in the form of escalation.
Delegation is a key aspect of being a manager, and though it’s nice to give work to someone else rather than doing it yourself, there is responsibility and effort involved, as well.
Over several posts, we’ve discussed identifying tasks to delegate, the distinction between delegation of authority and responsibility, and how to evaluate the success of your delegation efforts.