Many managers tell me they don’t delegate tasks as often as they’d like because they just don’t know where to start. Here’s a three step process that can help to identify what you could delegate, who you could delegate to and how much of a task you could delegate.

It’s all about making that start!

Step one: identify the tasks

The first step is to identify the tasks that would be suitable for delegation.

1. Make a list of all the tasks you currently perform.
2. Delete from the list the tasks you must do yourself. These may be tasks which:
   • Are a requirement of your job which no one else can do
   • You are ‘legally’ responsible for carrying out
   • Only you have the expertise and experience for and it would be impossible or impractical to help your team members gain that expertise and experience.
3. The tasks that have not been deleted from the list are those that you potentially could delegate totally or partially.
4. Ask the question – which of these tasks, if delegated, will free up the most time, so that I can concentrate on those tasks only I can do?

Step two: identify the individual

The second step is to identify the individual who would be best suited to undertake the delegated task.

In identifying the individual you may want to use some of the following selection criteria:

• Spare capacity (i.e. they’ve got the time)
• Best fit – in job terms
• The team member has a special interest in the task
• The delegated task may help to meet a development need
• The team member already has the skills or knowledge to complete the task

Step three: identify the appropriate degree of delegation

At this step you should consider the aptitude and potential of the team member and decide upon the ‘degree’ of delegation:

Degree 1: full delegation

The team member takes over the task fully.

Degree 2: shared delegation

You and the team member share the task and agree who will be responsible for which parts. This is useful when the person is not ready to take full responsibility but can do elements of it now and learn others later.

Degree 3: contributory delegation

At this stage the team member is not ready to take on a large part of the task but may contribute to some part of the task.

Now you’ve got the what, the who, and how much in place – is it time to delegate?