How to Avoid Being Disappointed after Delegating an Assignment

September 29, 2005

The last issue of eTips included several criteria for choosing which job tasks to perform yourself as the manager, and which tasks can be safely delegated to others, freeing up your time.

This issue addresses what happens AFTER you've made a decision to delegate one or more assignments to your employees.

Have you ever asked an employee to complete an assignment for you that seemed clear and simple to you, only to find out later that the employee failed to complete it or did such a poor job that it had to be done all over again?

It can make you feel disappointed, frustrated, even angry. Perhaps, you thought to yourself, "Is there something I could have done differently that would have prevented this from happening?"

Maybe so. While you can't always predict what will happen in every instance, it is possible to avoid many problems by following a few simple rules when delegating an assignment.

1. When providing instructions to an employee, take time to explain exactly what you want.

Be sure to address the Five W's - who, what, when, where, and why. For example, who does the employee need to talk with? What exactly do you want done? When does the work need to be done? Where does the final output need to be delivered? And why does the task need to be done at all?

You get the idea here. The more specific you can be when issuing instructions, the more likely you will get the desired outcome.

Why is it important for the employee to know the reason for the assignment? Because it helps convey the nature and importance of the assignment, thereby reducing the potential for misunderstanding.

2. Provide a deadline when the assignment is due.

If there is no deadline, then set an expectation for how much time the job should require to complete. For example, "this should only take you about an hour."

3. Tell the employee how you'd like to be kept informed.

For example, do you want an update at each stage along the way? Or do you simply want to be notified after the job has been completed?

4. Try to anticipate any problems the employee might encounter and offer suggestions on what to do if they occur.

If you can't think of anything, try this technique. Ask the employee to explain to you how he or she plans to carry out the assignment. This approach works even - and especially - when the answer seems simple and obvious to you. A detailed answer is an indication the employee has thought it through. A vague answer or a quizzical look should give you cause for concern. You might be surprised at how many problems you can prevent by using this one simple technique.

5. Follow up.

Make a note to yourself and follow up on the task and the outcome. The simplest way to do this, of course, is to ask the employee, "Did you get the information to Mr. Jones that he needed?" However, an even better approach is to contact Mr. Jones directly and ask him, "Did you get the information we promised?" This is especially effective if Mr. Jones happens to be a customer or client.

If you don't already have a tickler system for following up on delegated tasks, develop one and use it. Make notes to yourself to check on the progress of assigned tasks. For most tasks, it takes far less time to follow up than it does to undo the damage caused by a mix-up.

When Should You Take Back A Failed Delegation?

What should you do if an employee does a terrible job on an assigned task? Should you take it back and do it yourself?

Or, what if the employee comes back to you later and says, "I don't think I can do this." What should you do then?

The temptation is to "take over" and finish the job yourself. However, in most instances, this is not the best way to handle the situation. Why? Because taking it back undermines the employee's confidence and also sends the wrong message that employees can avoid performing tasks they find difficult or unpleasant.

A more appropriate response is to discuss the situation with the employee and develop a plan for overcoming whatever obstacles stand in the way. Be sure to express confidence in the employee and offer additional assistance, as necessary.

The only time you might need to take back an assigned task is when it's absolutely necessary in order to meet a firm deadline; or when the potential for damage in the event of a failed assignment poses too great a risk to you or to the organization.

If you follow these steps, you'll become more confident and skilled at delegating. As a result, you'll be more inclined to unburden yourself of tasks that can be performed by others and increase the likelihood that you will be satisfied with the results.

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Stephen Foster, Ph.D.
Expert Supervisor, LLC
1493 Market Street
Tallahassee, FL 32312
(850) 893-5699

E-mail me at: Steve.Foster@ExpertSupervisor.com.