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The 11th Principle of Effective Delegation

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Management Leadership

Delegating tasks is one of the most powerful ways you can increase your productivity because it allows you to focus more of your time on high priority tasks while allowing someone else to take over other activities that can be completed without you. Making the most of your time is one of the most effective ways to be more productive and achieve more of your goals in less time.

When you are preparing to delegate tasks to someone else, you need to be able to alter your delegation tactics based on Task Relevant Maturity. This is known as the 11th principle of effective delegation. There are three levels of competence and to get the most out of delegating tasks you need to rate the task relevant maturity of the person you are choosing to handle those tasks.

Low Task Relevant Maturity

A person at this level is perhaps new to the job, has little experience in the field, and needs to be handled accordingly. This is where you utilize a directive style of delegation.

Be clear about the task they are being assigned, what your intended outcome is, and what resources are available to them to accomplish the task. Give them an outline of each step needed to accomplish the task. Monitor their process as they work and the progress they make at each preconceived checkpoint. When the work is done, take time to inspect it to make sure it has been done satisfactorily. Give constructive feedback so that they can learn from any mistakes made. Give them encouragement and ask their feedback on the process. You are not only trying to complete a task but to create a competent and confident employee.

Medium Task Relevant Maturity

This is someone who has more experience in the field and has proven their competency in similar tasks before. They may still have limited experience and are building on their knowledge. You will use a style of delegation known as management by objectives.

You will clearly lay out the goals and objectives of a task and then figuring out how to accomplish the task will be up to them. They will determine what steps to take and what resources they will use. Meet with them once they have a plan ready and have them explain their plan so that you can be confident that they will get the job done without too much difficulty. Have them keep you informed of their progress only at critical points along the way. You want them to be confident in facing any challenges they encounter instead of coming to you for every question they have. Once the task is complete, as with someone at the low task relevant maturity, go over the process and give feedback and encouragement.

High Task Relevant Maturity

When you have someone at this level, they have a large amount of experience and may be equal with you in many ways. This is where you will use the leadership style of delegation.

The individual you are delegating to will be responsible for the results of the task and are given the authority to make any decisions necessary to accomplish the job. Then you step back and let them take over. This is a level that requires trust on both sides, which has probably been built over time when working on similar projects. Once the task is completed, you will once again meet with them to discuss the outcome, give feedback and encouragement, and give them any insights into what improvements could be made next time.

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