Managing means delegating. In principle, one goes hand in hand with the other. But is it really that simple to delegate? In practical terms, what is delegation? And how can it be put in place in the best possible conditions? Sandrine Bertrand, ORSYS trainer and expert in communication, management and personal development, provides an overview.
Delegation, an essential managerial act
If you're a manager, team leader or project leader, delegation should be part of your working rhythm. Delegating means entrusting a task or objective to a member of your team, with a level of autonomy appropriate to each individual.
For example, creating, maintaining and following up a client file at every stage, right through to completion. Or finding an original venue for a team seminar or hosting a meeting...
Delegating is an unavoidable managerial act, and an undeniable part of any manager's toolkit.
And it's not always easy!
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This article is part 1 of a special report on management.
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What are the formalities for delegating?
The method of delegation generally depends on the internal practices specific to each company or professional environment. Managers usually delegate verbally on a day-to-day basis. Sometimes this is backed up by written instructions (e-mails or internal messaging), so that the feedback is clear and consistent for everyone.
Christophe, who took part in a recent training course, mentioned the fact that "But by taking a step back from your own fears, you can manage better and better. But if you take a step back from your own fears, you'll find it easier and easier to manage, which will be very positive for the person you're delegating to, as well as for yourself and the team. Every time a team member becomes autonomous, your whole team grows and supports itself. It's all positive! Christophe concludes with a smile.
Is delegating a managerial style in its own right?
In practical terms, over time and with experience, a manager needs to apply different styles of managerial communication:
- Direct, for new recruits or people who are very insecure, for example. It's all about giving them direction and coaching them well.
- Persuasive to reassure the person and help them become a little more independent.
- Participative to involve the employee in a minimum of responsibilities.
- Delegative: the most accomplished style, but with a minimum of follow-up. In fact, delegating never means "letting go", as a manager, you remain responsible for the end result.
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"Be careful not to fall into the expert trap, says Adrien. One day, a technical expert joined my team. He was almost 20 years older than me and I'd only just become manager. It wasn't me who recruited him. I thought that, given his experience and age, I could let him manage things completely independently. So I didn't check his understanding of what I was asking him to do at the outset. I didn't follow up either, thinking that this would show my confidence in him. A beginner's mistake on my part! He went off in the wrong direction, working as he used to do in his previous job in another company. So I realised too late. Looking back, I think I suffered a bit from 'impostor complex'. I was impressed by his experience and his age. I won't make that mistake again.
What tasks should be delegated?
Benefits and points for attention
Delegating has many positive benefits.
For the manager :
- free up time for other activities or to supervise other employees
- show that we trust you
- enabling everyone to grow in their jobs
- can sometimes be assisted
- Enable the employee to take on a "supervisory" role within a team...
For the employee :
- taking on certain responsibilities and making decisions...
- growing up independently
- improve your self-confidence
- vary the missions according to the context
- become versatile
- develop your skills
"I started out very cautiously, says Caroline. I asked my colleague to follow up a few major clients by contacting them directly. I quickly realised just how much this could bring. First of all, my colleague was very happy to be given a new role, despite her initial fears. Gradually, she became a 'point of contact' for certain key customers, not only for follow-up, but also for proposing solutions. For my part, delegating has enabled me to better manage my own mental workload. Today, I can count on someone to support me, because delegating has encouraged active multi-skilling.
However, there are a number of specific points to bear in mind.
Firstly, you can get the wrong person. In other words, you can underestimate or overestimate someone. Secondly, some employees can be totally resistant, or even panic, when you want to give them new tasks or responsibilities.
Delegating can also be difficult when you feel you are "losing control".
Finally, trusting others can sometimes be a real barrier.
Hervé, an operational specialist with many human qualities, was approached to become manager of a small team to be set up. The project: to develop and manage legal software with this team. " I was delighted and accepted the job with great enthusiasm. But once the team had been created, I felt panicky. I was afraid I'd be overtaken, that my colleagues would become better than me and ultimately steal my job! And yet, at the start, these ideas hadn't occurred to me at all... until the reality of the job finally did! The personalised support I received helped me to understand my reactions. In the space of a few months, I gradually managed to overcome my fears. This enabled me to delegate in better conditions by agreeing to pass on my knowledge. I trained every member of my team. Everyone was finally able to take their place. Relieved of many technical tasks, I refocused my management on the "human" aspect. ".
So how do you best delegate?
If you have a choice between several people, take the time to choose the one that best suits your needs to the needs of the task in hand. Check your skills and his availability. If she is not available or if she is the only person available, her other tasks must be arranged according to priorities.
Determine whether support or training may be useful or necessary upstream to ensure optimum results downstream.
Examples of training :
chairing meetings, speaking, communication, time management, stress management... or technical training (software use, in particular)
Delegate a task or result to obtain, but never how to do it (except in the case of compulsory procedures).
Focus on independent tasks (as far as possible) and SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, realistic and with a timetable)
Ensuring clear and effective communication about the task, the resources allocated, the deadlines...
Information other employees (depending on the context).
Follow-up "The amount of support provided depends on the employee's level of autonomy.
Giving recognition.
Working on your own self-confidence and its ability to letting go.
Delegation: advantages, disadvantages and possible solutions
Ultimately, delegation is a powerful lever for business growth. Firstly, because it frees up managers' time for certain strategic tasks. Secondly, because employees gain in skills and autonomy. As a result, the company becomes more agile and responsive. Theodore D. Roosevelt, 26th President of the United States, said: "The best leader is the one who has the sense to choose good men to do what he wants to do, and enough control not to interfere while they are doing it".. So dare to trust, dare to delegate, and transform your organisation!
