"The busy manager's guide to delegation" by Richard A. Luecke and Perry McIntosh- All about delegation!
This book is published by Amacom in 2009 and has 100 pages.
Book summary:
Delegation is a process through which managers and supervisors assign formal authority, responsibility, and accountability for work activities to subordinates.
Delegation is important because it addresses manager's problem of too much to do and too little time, develops competencies of subordinates, reveals capacities and shortcomings of subordinates. Authors warn that failure to develop subordinates may cost you a promotion.
Determine which task to delegate. Ask yourself what tasks are you now doing that do not require your unique knowledge, skills or authority? Identify entire tasks, not bits and pieces of job. Delegate recurring tasks, rather than onetime chore. Ensure that segregated tasks are not quality critical, to allow for learning curve. Tasks that should never be delegated are hiring, performance review, firing, disciplinary actions and certain tasks delegated to you by someone else.
Identify the right person for the job. The delegatee should have time available, interest in task, capability and reliability, closeness to the issue, potential to benefit from assignment. Beware the person who can't say no. Ensure you spread the work, don't delegate to same employee. Best to delegate to the person closest to the problem.
Assign the task. Ensure that the delegatee knows what you want, understands how to do the task, understands how it fits into larger picture, is given authority and resources, is motivated and formally accepts responsibility. Motivators for the delegatee are money, recognition, empowerment and ownership. The more ambiguous the situation, the greater decision-making authority and flexibility needs to be given. Be more specific about outcomes than means. Agree on deliverables and deadlines.
Monitor progress and provide feedback. Agree and monitor checkpoints. Monitor but don't micromanage. Effective feedback is descriptive - not judgmental, focuses on modifiable behaviour, specific, well timed, works in both directions. Ensure you avoid taking too much and listening too little. Never take back the delegated task.
Evaluate performance. Fact based evaluation will indicate delegatee's strengths and weaknesses, training and development needs, types of assignments that should be delegated. Evaluation should be based on facts, not hearsay. Evaluation should address primarily completeness, timelines and quality. Secondarily it can address adaptability, effective use of resources, ability to prioritize, self-motivation, initiative and creativity, collaboration, communication, problem solving, leading without authority and professionalism.
Typical delegation problems are resistance, need to run to the boss, biting off more than can be chewed, inability to effectively collaborate, inability to take charge, miscommunication and inability to handle the job.
End of book summary.
At the end of this Book authors have given five-day shape-up plan. This is basically a form to be filled before and after delegation.
Authors have provided open book quiz at the end of each chapter. Answers to this quiz pretty much sums up the essence of that chapter.
Authors have made their point in simple language and by giving examples. This helps in clarifying things. The examples they use for making their point are simplistic in nature. In real life, the situation a manager faces, is more complex.
Importance of delegation can't be over emphasized. Delegation is essential for the growth of individual and organization. If you see delegation steps outlined by the authors, they are very similar to Project Management knowledge areas or PDCA cycle. It's applied to a specific activity of delegation.
Why did I read this book? Was on my wishlist.
What I didn't like? Simple examples.
What did I like? Easy language and comprehensiveness.
Recommend reading.
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