Last week, we looked at why delegation is a key tool for safety professionals. We discussed the benefits of delegating and exposed the flimsiness of the common objections to it. Today we'll look at how to delegate effectively.

A Delegation Strategy

Some managers just don't know how to delegate. They assign a task to somebody, but end up taking it back before the task is completed; or they let the person complete the task and are disappointed when they receive the results. To ensure successful delegation, follow these 8 steps:

1. Don't Ask People to Do Tasks for Which They're Not Trained

Take it from one who's learned the hard way: It's important to make sure the people to whom you delegate have the training necessary to complete the task. You might be better off with a gradual approach. First, identify the jobs that can be delegated. Then determine who is trained to perform those jobs. If nobody is, you'll need to provide the training or broaden your search for potential delegates.

2. Explain the Job

Explaining the job is just as important as describing how to do it. Explain the reasons why the task must be done and discuss the limitations of time, money and other resources. In other words, describe the framework for the assigned project. Tell it like it is and cover all the facts of life in the company.

3. Clearly State Your Expectations

You must hold your delegates accountable just the way your boss holds you accountable for performance and results. This is why it is imperative to set clear standards for the assigned task. Describe the end-results you're looking for. But you don't necessarily want to tell the delegate how to achieve those results. This is analogous to the approach used in OSHA standards. They tell you what must be done, but not specifically how to do it. Don't be afraid to set the bar high. High standards create top-notch performers.

4. Make Sure Your Expectations Are Understood

Don't assume that your message was understood, even if you think you've stated it clearly. When you finish describing the task and your expectations for it, ask the delegate to restate what you've said to ensure that he or she understood and appreciated what you want. It's also a good idea to have the delegate explain the importance of the job in the bigger context. Give the delegate a chance to ask questions or seek clarification and resolve all issues up front.

5. Confirm Your Choice of Delegates

Choose your delegates wisely. Delegation works only if the employee you choose to carry out the assignment has the maturity, competence, intelligence and motivation to execute it. The first point of this delegation strategy was to ensure that the delegate was properly trained. This point extends the principle to verify the presence of these other qualities. This is where your gut feeling comes in. If you have the sneaking feeling that the delegate does not have the right stuff to produce results, do what any good leader should: Select someone else.

6. Understand the Delegate's Approach

Ask delegates for their initial ideas on completing the project. In addition to giving you a "sneak preview" of how the task might be performed, this will provide insight into the delegate's overall capabilities and thought process. Respond accordingly. If you think the delegate is taking the wrong approach, suggest other possibilities. This gets the person and the project off on a positive note. Try to anticipate and warn the delegate of any problems that may arise.

7. Schedule Regular Updates

So far, we've talked about setting up the task for the delegate to perform. Now let's get into management once the delegate gets down to it. The key to managing delegated assignments is to establish monitoring and feedback procedures. Set up a definite timetable to get together and check progress. These short informal sessions allow for mid-course corrections. This in turn ensures that the goal is kept in sight and the project proceeds as planned.

8. Minimize Interference

Give delegates room to perform the task you've delegated to them. Don't attempt to manage the task for them. I know that the temptation to interfere is often great, especially if you see the delegate making mistakes. But you need to resist the urge and give the delegate a chance to learn. Otherwise, you will be inviting resentment and mistrust. Restraint and patience is what separates the good delegaters from the bad ones. As such, it's also the key to effective leadership.

Conclusion

Leadership is about knowing what needs to be done and taking steps to ensure that it gets done. It's not about doing each of those things personally; the leader needs subordinates to carry out assignments. Because it multiplies the effectiveness of leadership, delegation is the essence of accomplishment. So, if you want to accomplish big things - like keeping all the people in your organization safe and healthy - you better learn to use delegation effectively.

TRAINING BLOOPERS

True stories from safety trainers

Narrowly Missing the Bad Air Day

A company trained its people how to use an atmospheric testing unit to check confined space before commencing work.  The company mentioned, but obviously didn't get across to trainees, that the unit is "turned on" prior to entering and testing any confined space so the unit is "zeroed out" in clean air and not possibly within a toxic atmosphere.  Fortunately the atmosphere in the first real unit the trainees tested back at work was okay. That was lucky because it was later learned that other confined spaces at the same company are 99% toxic all the time.

Name withheld by request

Do you have a training blooper you'd like to share?
Send them to catherinej@ bongarde.com and let us know if we can use your name.

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