Motivation: The key to successful delegation

Delegating some key responsibilities to employees is an effective way let them know you trust their judgment and value their expertise. It also promotes a sense of partnership, which can boost employee engagement and retention.

Just follow these steps when you delegate:

·        Courtesy still counts. Saying, “I need your help,” will make workers feel included. Barking, “Do this!” will make them feel powerless. Whatever the assignment, treat employees with due respect—by saying “please” and “thank you,” for instance.

·        Don’t overload employees. As a supervisor, you should have a pretty good idea how much work your employees are already doing. Don’t make a special request of an employee you know is already overwhelmed with other responsibilities. Doing so would be more likely to earn you resentment than loyalty.

·        Collaborate on the right approach. Rather than simply assigning a task, tell employees you’d value their insight. Give them an overview of the problem, and ask them to suggest possible solutions. After they’ve invested some thought into the issue, they’ll be more willing to accept responsibility for the task.

·        Offer a choice. No matter how you position your request, employees may feel obligated to accept the assignment whether they want to or not. Try to insert an element of free will: Ask employees about their current projects, and tell them to be honest about their ability to take on something else. Make clear that you won’t penalize them for walking away from a job they can’t really handle.

·        Allow some breathing room. Don’t micro-manage. Once an employee has taken over a project or task, don’t hover or otherwise undermine the feelings of trust and empowerment you’re trying to instill. But do demonstrate an ongoing interest in the project. Remember to follow up periodically. Your attention will remind employees they’ve been trusted with an important assignment and you value their help.

All the success,


PM in the AM