How to improve delegation skills with introspection?

Our initial efforts to delegate often fail, which is okay. We’re learning this skill in the beginning, and early setbacks shouldn’t discourage us from future delegation. There’s no need to feel disappointed if our initial efforts don’t deliver expected results. A classic mistake new managers make when delegation isn’t working is trying to take back tasks from their subordinates or spending too much time and energy working alongside them. Instead of jumping to the conclusion that delegation isn’t working for us, we need to look for the reasons why it’s failing in the first place. Whether we’re beginners or consider ourselves experts in delegation—regardless of our successes or failures—we should cultivate the habit of introspection. We should analyze the entire process and consider what can be improved next time.

When delegation fails, resist the urge to blame others. Instead, do a quick review of how you managed the whole process and ask yourself the following questions to identify the areas of improvement.

1. What went wrong?
2. What was the root cause of the problem?
3. Did you choose the right person for the task?
4. Did you accurately assess the subordinate’s skills and experience?
5. Were the deadlines and desired outcomes clearly defined?
6. Was there a communication gap leading to mismatched expectations?
7. Did you provide sufficient information, resources, and authority?
8. Did you maintain regular follow-ups and check-in meetings?
9. Were small issues identified and addressed promptly?
10. Were quality, cost, and schedule requirements met?
11. Could you have done anything differently to improve the outcome?
12. What other options were available, and why weren’t they considered earlier?
13. Did you maintain appropriate engagement without micromanaging?
14. Was it a case of over-delegation or under-delegation?
15. Do your subordinates need more training and coaching?

By asking yourself these questions, you can pinpoint the root cause of the mistake and take responsibility for it.

Accept mistake and take action

To learn from a delegation mistake, accept responsibility and take corrective action. Don’t shift blame, make excuses, or ignore the problem. Instead, acknowledge your error, express regret, and outline your plan to prevent future occurrences. Depending on the circumstances, you might need to reassign the task, offer additional training or guidance, adjust deadlines or budgets, or address any resulting issues. By owning your mistake and taking action, you’ll not only improve your delegation skills but also build confidence in your ability to delegate effectively. This experience will serve as a valuable blueprint, highlighting which steps to take and which pitfalls to avoid in future delegation efforts.

Seek Feedback

If you’re open-minded, you can always ask your subordinates what worked for them. What were the strengths and weaknesses of the planning, execution, or review process? Each person might give you a slightly different answer, depending on their experience and capabilities. However, you should be able to make a good judgement about what you’re doing well and where you need to improve.

Let go of perfectionism

You need to let go of this notion that people will deliver that task exactly the same way you would have done it yourself or that they will deliver it with the same speed and efficiency as you would have done. Let go of “I can do it better myself” or “It’s faster if I do it myself” or “It needs to be done exactly the same way I do it.”

When delegating tasks, you must let go of the pursuit of perfection. Accept that your team may not perform as well as you do, especially at the beginning.

Recognising when a result is “good enough” is a crucial managerial skill. This is where the “70 percent rule” comes into play. This rule suggests that if your team can complete a task at least 70% as well as you can, or if you believe they’re 70% ready to take on a task, you should delegate it. The key is not to become frustrated when the outcome isn’t flawless. Delegation and perfection rarely go hand in hand.

To relinquish the need for perfection, ask yourself: What’s more important—achieving a perfect outcome (as you would do it) or completing the task? Give your employees some freedom, and you might be pleasantly surprised by their innovative approaches to the task.

People need your encouragement and support

Always remember that delegation doesn’t mean dumping tasks on people. Your team members need your guidance and support when executing tasks you’ve assigned them, especially when these tasks are new and they’ve never done them before. It’s your duty to help them succeed. If your teammates are struggling to deliver, you need to treat it as an opportunity to assist them and ensure tasks are completed—the results are still your responsibility. You have delegated the tasks, not the results. You still own deliverables. Additionally, when your subordinates are working hard, a little word of encouragement and praise goes a long way.

Do not give up

Like any other skill, delegation needs to be learned and practiced. You won’t master it in a short amount of time. You’ll have to deal with your fair share of failures, learning experiences, and retries. As with other skills, you might find it challenging at first, but the longer you persist and the more you work on yourself, the better you’ll become at delegating. Don’t let your bad experiences discourage you.

← Go Back to Accelerate