Being in charge of a group of people doesn’t necessarily mean our only responsibility is telling others what to do. I can see how sitting behind the big boss’s desk is empowering, how intoxicating the authority one transmits while on these luxurious, leather-covered chairs can be. Hair slicked back, golden rings on, and the backrest of our chair extended to its limit. And whatever else it was that Tony Soprano did during his TV show.
“While I’m in this position, I might as well make some use of it” might be the mindset that convinces you to start delegating work willy-nilly, left and right. “You do this, you do that, then tell her to do that other task”, would be all we say while eccentrically gesturing our hands with a cigar between our fingers.
Life seems pretty simple this way, doesn’t it? At least in my case, I couldn’t help but hope that this would be me one day. If only.
Leaving all The Sopranos imagery aside, basing your workday on just assigning task after task to other people, and leaving no work left to be done by your own hands can be harmful to your business due to the following reasons:
- Your employees can start feeling discouraged and unmotivated due to the lack of communication and credit. There are only one too many things you can assign a person to do before they run out of energy, and willingness.
- Your authority can be compromised since you’ve decided not to show the skills that got you the position you’re in in the first place. Rumors about how inefficient the boss is can even start spreading around the office’s halls, and we most definitely don’t want that, do we?
- Your clients might start noticing a worrying lack of quality in the results your employees come up with. This is usually a consequence of ambiguous instructions. As I mentioned before, there’s no room for assumptions and unclear messages in the modern-day business world.
- The danger of resentment and jealousy among your subordinates. This puts a strain on work relationships and unnecessarily complicates every transaction done within your company.
Yes, knowing how to delegate work is a wonderful tool that’ll empty your to-do list in a trice, but as you can see, it can also be a double-edged sword that’ll bury your business under the ground. If you do it right, you can complete projects much faster, and effectively.
We’ve already agreed on how to do it, now, we’ll be elaborating on when to do it. In simpler words: the big question to answer for today is: “When are we supposed NOT to delegate?”, as it isn’t something that we can do every single day.
When You’re The Best Person For The Job
This situation is a no-brainer. Why would it even cross your mind to delegate a task if it’s something you’re very good at? If it’s a finance issue, and you have a degree in Accounting, just get the work done right on the spot. There’s no need to lose time.
Now, is it an IT-related issue, or does it have to do with a different area you’re not familiar with? That’s when you start looking for someone who is.
In the same way it applies to other people, it does to you. If you have the skills necessary, then you’re the one for this specific job. We all have unique abilities that set us apart, and yours are useful too.
Delegate work if one of your coworkers could do it much better, guaranteeing the best results for the project.
When It Requires a Lot Of Explaining
We’ve all been in this situation before facing a lengthy project that we’ve done multiple times. In most cases, we just know we can get it done in the time it would take us to explain it to others, so we don’t even bother to.
That’s the smart thing to do, honestly. This way, you can save hours or even complete workdays, and in the meantime, the person you wanted to assign this issue to, can work on something else. At the end of the day, both of you can get twice as much work done in the same timeframe.
One thing that I want to add, though, is that delegating tasks like these can help your employees develop their skills. So think about it, wouldn’t it be useful to have someone who’s just as skilled and proficient as you are? Still, delegate wisely.
When It’s a Project That Must Be Done In a Specific Way
If the intricacies of the project are known by you, and only you, then delegating it would be pointless. Complicated projects will typically have a much higher technical requirement, and will require special input.
If you think the input others give can be of good to use you, then there’s no problem. If not, you already know what to do: quick slacking off and start the grind.
When It’s a Task That Is Still In Its Planning Stage
Picture this: you have a task with no instructions, no step-by-step, and no foreseeable result. Next up, you have only two options: work a little harder on developing its structure, or just delegate it right away.
What would you pick? If you’re smart, of course, you’ll pick the first option. It’s the sanest. If you want to see your business in shambles, you’ll pick the latter.
Passing on projects that are not designed completely can be catastrophic. The only thing you can expect from it is a mediocre result since not every single person on your team shares your vision of doing things. You’d be very lucky if there’s one.
When Is a Task That Will Teach You Something
Every once in a while, you can take up a new challenge, and this is what tasks like these are supposed. You can develop new skills, scout new expertise, and even learn a few tricks along the way.
If you see an opportunity to grow professionally, make sure you don’t let it fly past you. They don’t come that often, believe me.
In conclusion: delegating can be your best friend, but if you let your work routine be dominated by it, it can quickly turn around and become your worst enemy. Once again, I advise you to use it wisely.
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