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The Art of Delegation

Posted 6 years ago

Do you find yourself with a never ending to-do list? Are you left wondering how you will get it all done on time? In this week’s story, Dr. Tony Alessandra tackles the topic delegation. Dr. Tony offers today’s entrepreneurs and leaders tips; including how to delegate, who to delegate to, and all while ensuring the best possible results. With his helpful guidance, you should be able to knock a few items off your “to do” list immediately!

The Art of Delegation

by Dr. Tony Alessandra

The ability to delegate sets leaders apart from followers. That is because many people find it difficult to give up control. However, delegating duties and responsibilities is essential in today’s downsized organizations. The following key points will help you master the art of delegation.
Find the right person for the project. Do not assign the project to just any warm body. That is fine if any outcome is acceptable. If you want the job done right, however, you must find the right person for the job. If none exists, find the most capable person and train him/ her well.
Delegate authority and accountability. The worst thing you can do is delegate a task and then tie a person’s hands. If you’ve picked the right person or trained someone well, you must then give that person authority so the job can be done without your supervision. In addition, you should make the person accountable for the quality of the work performed.
Make the task perfectly clear. Carefully explain the nature of the project to the person you are giving responsibility. This may be done verbally or in writing, depending on the complexity of the task. The newer and more complex the task, the more questions the person you are giving responsibility will have. Answer all questions promptly and thoroughly.
Agree on a deadline. When the person to whom you are delegating fully understands your expectations, both of you are in a position to determine a mutually acceptable deadline.
Review and coach. There is a learning curve associated with any new activity. During this time, you should periodically review the other person’s progress and offer additional coaching if needed.
Lay the groundwork for more delegation. Once you get your feet wet, you will find more things that can be done by others to free up your time. Begin training people to assist you in more operations and you will find yourself with more time to do what you do best.


delegation
Learn more about Dr. Tony Alessandra

Dr. Tony Alessandra has a street-wise, college-smart perspective on business, having been raised in the housing projects of NYC to eventually realizing success as a graduate professor of marketing, internet entrepreneur, business author, and hall-of-fame keynote speaker. He earned a BBA from Notre Dame, a MBA from the Univ. of Connecticut and his PhD in marketing from Georgia State University (1976). Known as “Dr. Tony” he’s authored 30+ books and 100+ audio/video programs. He was inducted into the NSA Speakers Hall of Fame (1985) and Top Sales World’s Hall of Fame (2010). Meetings & Conventions Magazine has called him “one of America’s most electrifying speakers”.
Dr. Tony is also the Founder/CVO of Assessments 24×7. Assessments 24×7 is a global leader of online DISC assessments, delivered from easy-to-use online accounts popular with business coaches and Fortune 500 trainers around the world. Interested in learning more about these customized assessment accounts? Please contact us.