by Matthew J. Geiger

Created on: January 26, 2010

Delegating responsibilities and tasks is the cornerstone of any manager’s continued success story.  Although the downside of this tactic is a lack of control in the quality of how a project is completed, it is necessary to accomplish everything that needs done.  From the corporate executive to the housewife, it is important not to swamp yourself by taking on every aspect of an endeavor.  This starts with identifying who can do what for you, but requires you to take on the proper role.

Certainly, not everyone can be the Huckleberry Finn of their office or neighborhood, yet everybody does need a little bit of help.  Many people are shamed into the belief that getting help from someone else is a sign of weakness or the mark of a user.  Looking at people who are viewed as successful, it is clear they are only successful, because other supported their hard work.  This means inside a family, community project, or professional endeavor, identifying what you can effectively accomplish is a necessary step to understanding what needs passed on to others.

If someone offers assistance or is available to take on a given task then these are the people to enlist.  A good delegator can then identify what each individual with his or her own talents can accomplish with minimal supervision and training.  Taking this step ensures everything will be finished on time and accurately.  On the other hand, while a person should not feel guilty for getting help, it is wise to be sure not to overload others, especially if they are volunteers.

Meanwhile, different tasks require different management approaches. A hands-on strategy may be an appropriate method when an equal share of the work can be divided up among workers, yet a supervisory tactic is also necessary at other times.  If the project requires certain skills or a high level of quality, it may be best for an individual to delegate as much work as possible, so he or she can supervise the efforts of everyone else.  Of course, this depends upon how much quality and control is required for the given situation.

In all, getting things done can mean recruiting some help.  Quite frankly, everybody needs a break when they are swamped or just simply tired.  The first step in delegating responsibilities is to get over the stigmas against giving someone else your work.  Next, who can help and what can be done by others is the first order of business followed by figuring out who, whether you or someone else, can do what.  Moreover, delegating requires good management skills to ensure quality does not suffer and everything is done on time.

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