Could you just do that for me? And that? And that? Wouldn’t it be great if someone could do all the things you couldn’t quite muster the volition to action?

My dad used to say the secret of good management was delegation. In fact, he hasn’t stopped saying it!

We Philosophers are ever exploratory and often contrary, so I’d probably dispute what my dad says whilst borrowing his input. I don’t think delegation is the secret of management, but rather learning, understanding and enacting effective delegation is a bit of a secret in itself.

Delegation is not having someone as your servant or giving someone all the jobs you don’t fancy.

Delegation is having the right person, in the right place, at the right time.

Delegation is assigning tasks and duties that relate to that person’s skill sets, job role and motivations for undertaking that job role.

Delegation is forward planning and knowing when to brief people on tasks and factoring in time for input where relevant and queries before commencement.

Delegation is as rewarding for the recipient as the manager issuing the task/responsibility – providing thanks and constructive feedback is regularly supplied.

How many delegation dos and don’ts are you actively conveying?

Next fortnight, I’ll be writing On Screens, in the first of a new periodical series linking up with Make Me A Plan’ ScreenFree Sunday and the ScreenFree SuperPlanners missive. Please get in touch with any particular aspects of this subject you’d like me to write about.

In the meantime,

Happy Planning

PS If you want some other free tips for your business life, check out the Working Well blog – out fortnightly on Wednesdays, courtesy of Make Me A Plan’s Productivity Expert, Penny Le Kelly. Browse the latest edition here:

https://www.makemeaplan.com/news/keeping-an-ai-on-developments/