Delegation

nursing administration

1. By / Mahmoud Shaqria محمود محمد شقريه DELEGATION

2. Introduction Definition of Delegation ELEMENTS OF DELEGATION PURPOSES OF DELEGATION PRINCIPLES OF DELEGATION PROCESS OR STEPS OF DELEGATION STRATEGIES FOR SUCCESSFUL DELEGATION Types of Delegation COMMON DELEGATION ERRORS BARRIERS TO DELEGATION PRE REQUISIITES OF EFFECTIVE DELEGATION Advantages and disadvantages of delegation ROLE OF NURSE ADMINISTRATORS IN DELEGATION Outlines:-

3. Barriers to Delegation Delegation Steps Principles of Effective Delegation Guidelines for Effective Delegation

4. Introduction:- Delegation  is the assignment of any responsibility or authority to another person (normally from a manager to a subordinate) to carry out specific activities. It is one of the core concepts of  management   leadership . However, the person who delegated the work remains accountable for the outcome of the delegated work. Delegation empowers a subordinate to make decisions, i.e. it is a shifting of decision-making authority from one organizational level to a lower one. Delegation, if properly done, is not fabrication.

5. AUTHORITY Authority is the right to give orders & power to exact obedience. Denotes certain rights granted to a position in an institution. It is a willing & unconditional compliance of people, resting upon their belief that it is legitimate for superior to impose his will on them.

6. AUTHORITY V/S POWER:

7. Definition of delegation:- The process of transferring the responsibility for a specific task to another member and empowering that individual to accomplish the task effectively.

8. Delegating Work :-   Refers to the assignment of a task - It is work focused It is not turning over work that the manager dislikes Empowerment is focused on the individual Increases productivity and the organization’s ability to achieve goals

9. Benefits of Delegation:- More involved , empowered workforce Increased productivity and quality Reduced costs More innovation Greater commitment

10. Advantages of Delegation:- Increases manager’s discretionary time Develops subordinate capabilities Demonstrates confidence in delegates Enhances commitment of delegates Improves decision making Increases efficiency

11. Why is the ability to effectively delegate important to a manager? Allows time to focus on other initiatives and increased flexibility . It provides an opportunity for the manager to gain trust in the performance of their employees, and in turn earn respect from his employees . While the manager has the final responsibility for completing the task, delegating tasks can also allow him to build on his leadership skills . Effective delegation can increase communication between managers and employees Effectively delegating can develop a balanced workload, and provide time to have a life outside of work

12. Delegating can promote a team environment and lead to increased productivity. Those who manage people and tasks cannot manage everything themselves. The worst case scenario is called “reverse delegation” in which the manager switches roles with their direct reports. Delegation insures that tasks can be distributed and delegated to subject matter experts and completed quickly. We “hire” people for a reason; being able to delegate appropriate responsibilities to these individuals frees the manager to do their own job. Subordinates cannot delegate the authority which resides only with a manager.

13. Barriers to Delegation   Lack of confidence Fear Vanity Insecurity Self –importance

14. Delegation Steps Prepare Assign Confirm understanding Confirm commitment Avoid “reverse delegating Ensure Accountability

15. Here are the six steps you should work through when delegating: 1. Prepare   Employees can’t deliver quality results if the task delegated to them isn’t fully thought out, or if expectations keep changing. Take the time and develop the discipline to map out exactly what you’re asking for. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

16. 2. Assign   Once you’ve taken the time to map out exactly what you’re looking for, you need to convey that information to your employees. Be sure to include clear information on timing, budget, and context, and set expectations for communication and updates, including frequency, content, and format.

17. 3. Confirm understanding One of the most common mistakes made in delegating is assuming that employees understand what you want, rather than making sure that they do. Confirming understanding only takes about 60 seconds, but is the most important determinant of success or failure. The best way to confirm understanding is to ask your employees to paraphrase the request or assignment in their own words. If you’re not comfortable doing that (many managers feel–often correctly–that it makes them sound like a kindergarten teacher), you should, at the very least, ask questions to make sure employees understand all aspects of what’s required.

18. 4. Confirm commitment   This is another part of the delegation process that most managers skip. They often just assume that employees have accepted the tasks they’ve been given. The most important part of a relay race is the handing of the baton to the next runner. Runners spend a huge amount of time learning this skill. It should be no different in the workplace. Commitment means making sure you’ve successfully handed over the baton.   Confirm that employees are committed to the expected results, and to the process that’s been set out (including the schedule, budget, and tools), and that their overall goals for the task are aligned with yours. Make sure they’re aware of any consequences (for the company and for themselves) that may result if they fail to deliver on the desired outcomes.

19. 5. Avoid “reverse delegating”   Many managers are extremely overworked. Sometimes, this is because their employees are better at delegating than they are: Managers often end up completing tasks they had delegated to others, because those tasks somehow end up back on their plate. I call this “reverse delegating.” It’s rarely, if ever, necessary for a manager to take back a task that he or she had delegated to someone else. (If this is necessary, it likely means that not enough time was spent on the preparation stage, and that time, resource, or other constraints have led to problems that you did not foresee.)   If an employee reaches an impasse, treat it as a learning opportunity. Coach the employee through it, making sure he or she has the resources and knowledge needed to complete the task. That way, you’ll still be free to focus on other things, and the employee will be better equipped to carry out similar tasks in the future. The bottom line? Don’t take tasks back.

20. 6. Ensure Accountability Two-way communication is a key part of delegating. Finding out at the completion date that a deliverable hasn’t been completed or has been done unsatisfactorily is the nightmare scenario of delegating. That’s why you need to make sure your employees are accountable for the task.

21. Principles of Effective Delegation   When delegation is done properly and for the right reasons, it helps foster a climate of trust and creates growth opportunities for your employees. Here are five principles that can help you create an effective delegation process.

22. 1. Determine what you will delegate. Effective delegation begins with defining your responsibilities. Write down all of your activities and responsibilities. Review your master list and categorize all of the items into two secondary lists: things you alone must do and things that others could do or help you complete. Anything that falls into the second list presents an opportunity for delegation.

23. 2. Choose the right person to delegate the task to. Andrew Carnegie said, "The secret to success lies not in doing your own work, but in recognizing the right person to do it." The key to finding the right person to delegate an assignment to is matching skills and attitude to the task at hand. 3. Clarify the desired results. When the results are clear, it allows the employee to use his or her own creativity and resources to accomplish the task. An added benefit of effective delegation is the individual may find a better and more effective way to accomplish the task or achieve the desired results.

24. 4. Clearly define the employee's responsibility and authority as it relates to the delegated task. Clearly communicate the expectation, responsibilities, and timeline. Be sure to ask the employee to share his or her understanding. 5. Establish a follow up meeting or touch points. The follow up meetings should be focused on two things-monitoring progress and determining the need for assistance. The number of follow up meetings will vary based on the scope of the task or project and whether the employee is new or a long term member of the department.

25. Guidelines for Effective Delegation   Here are 10 tips for effective delegation and, more importantly, effective supervision:   1. Delegate early. Make an effort to delegate the task early to avoid unnecessary pressure. This allows the person to better plan the task.

26. 2. Select the right person. Ensure that the person has the time to take on the responsibility. Assess the skills and capabilities of your staff and assign the task to the most appropriate person. Make sure the person has the training and resources to succeed.

27. 3. Communicate the rationale and benefit. Identify the reason for the task and how it will contribute to the goals of the company or department or team. Also, point out how the delegated task could benefit the person. For example, develop a specific skill. that is needed to get promoted. Remember a routine task to you may be a new challenging task to your subordinate.    4. Delegate the entire task to one person. This gives the person the responsibility, increases their motivation and avoids ambiguity in accountability. Otherwise, different people will have different ideas about who does what when.

28. 5. Set clear goals and expectations. Be clear and specific on what is expected. Give information on what, why, when, who and where. You might leave the “how” to them. Be prepared to accept input from subordinates. Confirm and verify task goals and expectations.   6. Delegate responsibility and authority. Ensure that the subordinate is given the relevant responsibility and authority to complete the task. Let the subordinate complete the task in the manner they choose, as long as the results are what you specified. Be willing to accept ideas from the subordinate on task fulfillment.

29. 7. Provide support, guidance and instructions. Point subordinates to the resources they may need to complete the task or project. That could be people they need to coordinate with, crucial information or Be willing to be a resource yourself.   8. Take personal interest in the progress of delegated task. Request to be updated on the progress of the task, provide assistance when necessary. Be careful not to be intrusive; giving the perception that you do not trust the subordinate. Keep communication lines open, regular meetings on large tasks can provide this ongoing feedback.

30. 9. If you’re not satisfied with the progress, don’t take the project back immediately. Rather, continue to work with the employee and ensure they understand the project to be their responsibility. Give advice on ways to improve. This ensures accountability and dependability.   10. Evaluate and recognize performance. Evaluate results more than methods. Analyze cause of insufficient performance for improvements and recognize successes as soon as possible.