5 key reasons why managers fail to delegate responsibilities effectively
Delegation happens when a person in a senior authority assigns specific tasks to their subordinates. By delegating tasks to team members, managers can use their time and energy to focus on higher-value activities, while also keeping employees engaged with greater independence. Delegation is an important management skill, and it is a difficult one to put into practice.
Managers fail to delegate tasks effectively, due to which there are negative consequences. It not only overloads the managers’ schedule but also leads to prioritising the wrong tasks. The inability of managers to delegate causes employees to look for better prospects as they miss out on honing their skills and growth opportunities.
Various senior management programs available educate managers on the importance of delegation in an organisation and how to implement the same. It does not matter how many team members a manager has, if one does not know how to delegate tasks to them, it will never be enough.
What is delegation in management?
Delegation in management is a way to distribute the authority to operate to all levels of the organisation from the top to the bottom. This dissemination of authority is known as the scalar principle. It states that there is a clear line of authority running from the top of an organisation down to the bottom. The line of authority is often called a scalar chain or chain of command, which comprises a series of relationships between a superior and subordinate, arranged vertically, that allows communications to flow up and down the chain.
Delegation in management can also be defined as when a manager or team leader gives another member of staff the responsibility and authority to complete an assigned task. It is an important core competency as well as a part of a larger strategic plan to develop team members who are ready for it. Effective delegation means grooming the team members to handle tasks independently and providing enrichment for employees in the department or team.
It is also beneficial for the manager to delegate, as learning how to delegate well can help one take on more senior leadership roles and advance in your career path. Delegation allows managers to focus on management responsibilities, like training and performance reviews. Delegation of work helps to motivate the team and boosts the team member’s professional development needs, confidence, and competence.
Effective delegation is good for team productivity while establishing a culture of trust among the manager and team members. Executive management courses can help managers understand how to effectively delegate authority and responsibility among the employees.
The necessity of delegation for effective leadership
Delegation is the assignment of authority to another person to carry out specific tasks or activities. It is entrusting work to team members by someone in a leadership position. Effective delegation is a clear indicator of efficient time management by the leader. Through delegation, leaders can empower the team to get the work done while creating an environment where team members are proud of their work and can call it their own. It is all about allocating the right work to the right people.
Effective leadership is not only based on sharing a task but inculcating decision-making responsibilities in team members to increase others’ commitment, accelerate results and build capability. Delegation helps team members to be more creative, more proactive, perform better, and achieve high-performance standards. Effective leadership can be achieved through delegation, as team members feel happy when their role has more authority and freedom to grow.
5 Reasons why managers cannot delegate effectively
Leaders by themselves cannot manage to do all the work, and that is why team members are allocated to work under them to complete the same. However, many leaders are reluctant to delegate, causing them to be overwhelmed and stressed. The reluctance to delegate carries a steep cost as this leads to team members feeling that they are not contributing enough, nor have the authority to do their work as they see fit.
The morale of the team will be down and most likely end up disengaged or start searching for better opportunities. An advanced management programme can help managers to understand that delegation is an important development area for any manager who wants to improve their organisational effectiveness.
5 main reasons why managers cannot delegate effectively are:
Self-Importance or Ego
The belief that they are the only ones who can do the job right and the need to be perfect in all things are major reasons for inefficient delegation.
Time
It takes too long to explain the task. Utilising the time taken to explain the task can rather be used to complete it themselves. Also, it shows a lack of confidence or trust in whom they want to do the task.
Fear of Failure
What if, after delegating the tasks to team members, they fail? Leaders often feel that if anything goes wrong, they are accountable for the same.
Skill Gaps
Many managers feel that their team does not possess the right technical skill set to handle the assigned tasks.
Authority Threat
Managers feel that delegation reduces their authority. If the delegated tasks are completed efficiently, the importance of the manager in the work setting would decrease.
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