Chapter 3
DELEGATION OF AUTHORITY

Delegate but don't abdicate! Delegate down! Delegate upwards! These cute, little fun phrases actually miss the point of delegation. There is a good way to remember to stay focused on how excellent managers delegate. Refer to delegation as a management tool using the entire name of this chapter: Delegation of Authority!

Delegation of authority is not dumping your work off onto other individuals so that you won't have so much to do. However, once you learn how to delegate your authority, you will free yourself for other work. You will have more time to develop new ideas, plans and programs. Most important, you will be developing people and encouraging their original ideas and abilities. Delegation of Authority goes beyond delegating to your direct reports. It can also be used to spread your authority around the participants in a group project involving people of other departments. Ask yourself how you would handle a project to manage with several participants assigned or selected from other departments. An example from military training for managers might involve a question like this: Your assignment is to take a group of twelve people and "police up" (clean up) a parade ground the size of two football fields. What would you do?

One leader would gather the 12 people and tell them to clean up the field, participating in the policing, as the group wandered around picking up paper, cigarette butts and pieces of trash. Another leader would form a straight line, six people on each side, search party style. They would walk across the field, in line, picking up the trash. Another leader, trained to be a manager, would assemble the 12 people, form them into squads and appoint a Squad Leader for each squad. Each Squad Leader was given three soldiers and a third of the field for policing. When the job was done, the Squad Leaders were required to report back for inspection. The squad with the neatest area would be rewarded with a one day pass. While waiting in the shade, the excellent manager would reflect upon how much he enjoyed management and how he might ask for the responsibility of policing up all parade grounds.

Some managers take it as a personal affront when assigned additional tasks when ''their plate is already full." Excellent managers welcome the challenge, form a team and begin developing a plan to accomplish the task. Resistance to additional tasks sends the message that you feel put upon and your supervisor becomes reluctant to assign new tasks to you. You should always be ready for more. Your supervisor is not telling you to kill yourself. Your supervisor is telling you of her confidence that you can get the new job done and that your other obligations will not suffer. A common manager's reaction may be, "I am at 110 per cent of capacity. I simply cannot take on more." That sends the message that you can not accept any more responsibility. What if your CEO came to you and said, "I want you to be Section Leader or Senior Manager or President of our company." Could you accept? Would you accept?

If you think is a ridiculous scenario, think about it for a while. Have you heard of people who have developed companies, hired accountants, managers, directors, and so forth? Later it was discovered that they were illiterate. How did that person accomplish these things? How can a person with an incapacitating disability manage a company? Obviously, they accomplish things through others by delegating their authority and spend their time teaching, inspecting, coaching, modifying, challenging and rewarding. Do you know of any other examples similar to these? Is your response to this, "Yes, but .... my supervisor doesn't understand and won't allow me to manage." Or, "Yes, but ..... our work situations won't allow us to manage on our own." Again, think about it, clearly and without using excuses. Delegation of Authority is a learned management behavior. It is easier to learn than any mathematics, geography or history. It is easier than learning manners, or speechmaking, or almost anything. Some people handle it smoothly and fluidly and naturally. Others seem to have a bit more difficulty but everybody can learn to delegate their authority. This is something that managers should work hard to learn and use. A manager will never grow into positions of larger responsibility unless delegation of authority can be used effectively.

Delegating your authority is one of the most satisfying and effective management tools in your box of behaviors. Did you notice that the excellent manager in the military scenario didn't say, "I can't ask them to do this work unless I can give them a raise and a title?" The excellent manager gave an impromptu but meaningful title, delegated her authority and set up a performance awards program. She actually created job satisfaction with title and reward. She didn't need to call her boss and ask if she could give individuals the title Squad Leader. She made it up! This story, or one very similar, happens in your company every day. Can you spot the managers who are excellent at Delegating Their Authority? Delegation of authority is easier than you think.

1. Select the best people when deciding to whom to delegate.
2. Ask those individuals for their help on a task or project
3. Give them all the facts you have available.
4. Have a simple timeline with a beginning and an end.
5. Make clear that they get full credit for fulfillment of the task.
6. If a group project, assign titles, i.e. Captains, Commanders, etc..
7. Have some kind of reward.