Do Managers Who Delegate to New Hires Faster Increase Engagement? What does the research show?
First, let’s lay down some foundation from which to begin. Let’s start by unpacking the definition of delegation and understanding why leaders do it? And why would any leader combine new hires and delegation into the same sentence? Let’s start with the definition. Delegation, according to Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary, is the “act of empowering to act for another.” Sounds simple enough: we have a task, we have a team member who could use an opportunity to prove their growth, or we feel we have not challenged them enough, so we give them a task. In other words: we delegate. According to The American Management Association (AMA), the primary reason leaders delegate is to grow their people. Delegation has been used as a growth tool by managers for decades now. However, the words delegation and new hires are rarely heard in leadership development conversations even today.
When the question was asked by the AMA who you delegate to, and why, they found two primary themes. First, leaders said they delegated to their most experienced employee. Secondly, to those employees who had the deepest subject matter expertise. Nowhere in the AMA findings did new employees show up in any of their survey results regarding leaders and who they delegate too. My recent quantitative research regarding Situational Leaders II Behaviors and New Employee engagement, did in fact shows that leaders who delegating to their new hires within the first year, did in fact increase new employee engagement. If leaders wish to increase new employee engagement, try delegating sooner than you think. Now let’s look at 10 simple steps leaders can follow to ensure that their delegation efforts are successful, regardless of the experience level of the person.
1. Know what you can and cannot delegate. According to a recent Harvard Business Review article, not every task can be, or should be delegated. I agree with this statement, and I would add that some tasks definitely should not be delegated. There are some tasks that a manager needs to do. An example would be an annual performance review for a team member. Another would be deciding who, in the face of layoffs, gets let go. These are just two examples of tasks that the manager must do; such tasks should never be delegated.
2. Play to your employees’ strengths and goals. Effective delegation ideally should align with each person’s strengths and goals. We hope every team member is working towards identified strengths and goals. For delegation to have a positive impact on the person, try to align the task you are delegating to the individual’s strengths and goals.
3. Define the delegation outcome. Your clarity concerning expectations about the final deliverable can make all the difference in the world for the person to whom you are delegating. Also, be sure to share how much time they have to complete the task, how much authority they have to make decisions or act in the company’s name, when they might consider coming to you for input or coaching, and what budget constraints they must work within.
4. Provide the right resources and level of authority. Nothing is more demoralizing or creates more long-term damage to a person’s self-esteem and trust in the leader than being given a task without having the right resources and level of authority to succeed in completing that task. Great leaders who delegate effectively know the importance of providing the right resources and level of authority before they delegate a task to a team member.
5. Establish a clear communication channel. Establishing a clear and relevant communication plan and guidelines can give the person to whom you are delegating a task the confidence they need to know that you do care and want to be kept in the loop. The communication plan could consist of weekly in-person conversations, bi-weekly e-mails, or—depending on the size and length of the project—monthly updates. It is your job as the leader to remind the person that they have a responsibility to keep you updated and that you want to hear from them at a regular interval that works well for both parties.
6. Allow for failure. Those leaders who are perfectionists must have mercy on those to whom you delegate. Yes, people will fail, and we all do because we are human, and things happen. You may be able to complete a task in a few hours, but the same task given to a new person who has never completed that task, may take them a day or more, simply because they have not done that task, and they are now integrating this new task into their daily job. Have patience and remember: if you wish your employees to stretch and grow, you must be willing to work with the pain of failure.
7. Be patient. As the manager, you almost certainly have more experience in your field than your employees do. Try to remember how exciting, and at the same time frightening, it was the first time your boss delegated something to you as a new employee. I know my palms were sweating, I had a million questions, and no courage to ask for answers.
8. Deliver and ask for feedback. Feedback both during and after the process of completing the delegated task is a critical element to an employee’s success, and growth. If you really want the learning to go deep, don’t rush though this step. Take time to craft questions for the person, set time aside for a meaningful conversation, pick the right place, and ask the employee to craft questions for you as the leader before your feedback session. This step of delivering and receiving feedback is a two-way process that should be taken seriously. Both the leader and the employee can learn when this step is done thoughtfully.
9. Give credit where it’s due. Assume that the task is complete, and you are happy with the outcome. Now, it is your turn to help the person grow and bask in a little gratitude on your part. Depending on the size of the task, you may simply communicate your appreciation to them in an e-mail, or if you really want to make an impact as a leader who truly cares, try face to face acknowledgement .If the project was large, it may be necessary to communicate your appreciation to the division or the company. Your recognition brings the project to a final completion stage.
10. The delegated task is still your responsibility. Just because you delegated the task to one of your employees does not mean that you are not still responsible for the task: you are still on the hook for the task. Now, if you apply the nine steps above and pay special attention to step 5 and 8, the chances increase exponentially that you and your team member will successfully complete the project.
Call to action for leaders. As leaders, delegating tasks to our employees is a necessary element to their growth, and the efficient operation of your team, regardless of its size. Above were 10 steps to help you delegate more effectively. Finally, before you delegate, stop and think about the task, the person best suited for the task, and your role in setting them up for success.
If you would like to know more about how to be a more engaging leader, schedule a free thirty-minute appointment with Leader Behaviors.