by Nathan Crockett

• Clearly determine exactly what needs to be delegated—in an ideal world, a leader should be doing only the things that only he/she can do. If you’re overloaded, what parts of your job could effectively be handed off?
• Choose the right person for the job—find a person with the skill set, desires, and personality to fit this aspect of work (detailed people vs visionaries; procrastinators vs planners; etc.). Ideally you want a quality person who would enjoy these tasks.
• Communicate the scope and boundaries of the job to the new person—be precise as possible in laying out the exact expectations for their new responsibilities.
• Empower the person to do the new job—be sure the new “delegee” has the tools (computer, network permissions, etc.), money, oversight, and knowledge base to effectively accomplish the job.
• Follow up—circle back around to praise what the “delegee” is doing well, gently correct areas where they fell short, and give them a vision of how their one small piece is integral to the overall picture.

Used with permission