Every leader has specific traits and characteristics that help build a cohesive set of skills needed to successfully manage a team. And while no two leaders are alike, they do posses similar qualities that, when utilized effectively, help their employees flourish in their roles. From strong communication to empowering others to effective conflict management, each leader’s skillset can make the difference between a high performing, motivated team to a disgruntled, actively disengaged group of employees with one foot out the door. In this monthly series, we will examine 12 specific skills that leaders can embrace to become the best versions of themselves.
Skill: Delegation
Subsets: Autonomy, Cross-training, Development
Delegation is one of the best ways to fight burnout at work by building up others while distributing work. Moreover, 79% of employees quit due to lack of opportunities to grow professionally, voice their opinions, and receive delegated tasks, according to a Bloom Leadership study. Through delegation and ownership, you not only create a more sustainable workplace, you also create a more engaged workforce. And while 79% of employees quit due to lack of growth opportunities, 94% say they would stay even longer with a company if learning opportunities were offered, according to LinkedIn. Additionally, 68% of employees surveyed by ClearCompany cited training and development opportunities as a company’s most important policy.
Regulating the Workload
One problem some leaders face in the office is taking on too many responsibilities and not fully trusting others to help regulate the workload. By distributing tasks that qualified employees can handle, leaders open up their schedule for high-end planning and projects. However, when a leader is stuck in the weeds with administrative duties and time-consuming activities, it can be more difficult to effectively manage others and give employees time for communication, constructive feedback, and training.
To outline which tasks and projects can be shifted to other employees, create a detailed list of what you spend your time on and rank items by time spent and importance. From meetings to workload to simple day-to-day tasks, work weeks can be filled with unnecessary activities, keeping leaders from the most important items on their to-do list. Consider shifting some of the more time-consuming but less-oversight-needed items to team members who have more margin to take on extra work.
Elevating Your Workforce
Delegating tasks is not only a great way to lower the chances of burnout, but it can also increase engagement and retention among your employees. When a leader is focused on the nitty-gritty instead of the big picture, there tends to be less opportunity for training and mentoring others. And while 79% of employees quit due to lack of growth opportunities, 94% say they would stay even longer with a company if learning opportunities were offered, according to LinkedIn. Moreover, 68% of employees surveyed by ClearCompany cited training and development opportunities as a company’s most important policy.
Propping up your staff by delegating responsibilities to employees is not only a great way for professional growth, but it also helps build a deeper ownership within their position. By creating buy-in with your team, you not only get the benefit of a more regulated workload, but you also experience higher engagement and retention with your staff.
Making the Most of Your Delegation Skills
Regardless of what type of delegation style you gravitate to, every situation is different and requires different levels of delegating to employees. Upskill your delegation by starting with smaller projects and graduating to larger responsibilities.
What skills do you think are the most important for leaders? How do you make the most of the skills you possess? Let us know in the comments section below!
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