Effectiveness of Delegation - Assignment Example

?Effectiveness of Delegation Large number of studies has been conducted on delegation of duties to organizations in general with less emphasis on itsnegative effects. The reason for this study is to establish the negative consequences of delegation of duties and also to determine how often delegation of duties happens in most organizations. Research has shown that delegation has got both negative and positive outcomes and should thus be carefully applied in management to achieve positive outcomes (Lawson, 2007). According to Johnston (2000), delegation involves a manager giving someone the responsibility and the authority to perform for him a particular task within specified period of time. In addition, the process of delegation should be done very carefully so that it’s not seen as dumping of duties by the top management hence lowering the morale of the worker (Hackman, 1995). Delegation encompasses three important aspects of and practices which are responsibilities, authority and accountability for delegation to be effective in management (Pratt, 1997). This is because the process of delegation involves the sharing of responsibility and accountability with others and therefore, everybody is accountable for his actions. Sisson and Frohlith (1998) argue that delegation is more evident in big firms with more employees than smaller ones since the work involved in big firms are complex and quite involving. However, small organizations also witness some cases of delegation but in low scale due to simplicity of nature of their operations and the lack of people to delegate duties (Brookes, Brewster and Wood, 2005). This is in contrast with Klein et al. (2006) who argue that delegation is the same both in shall and big firms. Despite differences in magnitude of delegation in small and big firms, the advantages and disadvantages which arise from them are mostly the same. This therefore implies that delegation should be handled with the same levels of care in both large and small firms (Morake, Monobe and Mbulawa, 2012). Regardless of the size of the business, delegation is effective in all aspects of management hence inability to delegate may lead to ineffectiveness of an organization. Historically, the art of delegation was practiced in the vertical approach where the managers delegate duties to their subordinates in the work place. Today’s environment is calling for a new dimension in delegation by emphasizing both horizontal and vertical delegation with much emphasis given to teamwork. Delegation must always be accompanied by effective coaching so that the delegates fully understand the task they are entrusted with to avoid any pitfalls which is likely to arise. Good communication is a prerequisite for effective delegation to take place and thus should be highly considered during the delegation process (Pratt, 1997). According to Klein et al. (2006), process of effective delegation is a beneficial process where both the manager, the employees and the organization benefits in the long run. The benefits the manager enjoys is so great since it makes the job easier and this frees him form various daunting tasks (Hackman, 1995). In addition, it also helps the manager to reduce stress and develop good rapport with the employees which is good for the success of an organization (Pratt, 1997). Delegation also enables the manager to effectively groom his successor by assigning him the necessary task involved in such higher positions. Managers who do not delegate tasks derail their own advancement by not grooming someone to take their place when the need for promotion arises (Finch & Maddux, 2006). The employees equally benefit form the delegation process since it provides them with an avenue of professional growth and advancement at work place when they develop their skills properly (Johnson, 2000). In addition, it gives them a sense of achievement and personal satisfaction which leads to increased productivity at workplace and enhancing value to the organization (Lawson, 2007. This is achievable because they feel involved in the decision making of the company which results into more commitment and increased morale in working for the organization. However, Johnston (2000) claims that delegation may lead to exhaustion on the part of employees which may result in the development of negative attitude from extra workload they are given. The organization also benefits from delegation since it helps save money which would have been used to employ more staff thus straining the budget of the organization (Finch & Maddux, 2006). This is in contrast to Lawson (2007) who argues that delegation results in organization losing money due to salaries being paid to managers who do very little since they delegate most of the task. Increased productivity and efficiency of the employees who feel they are involved in the decision making is also beneficial to the company in various ways. Delegation also result into promotion of teamwork which is beneficial to the organization due to increased productivity form the employees (Brookes, Brewster & Wood, 2005). On the other hand, Hirst and Foly (2001) argue that delegation does not necessarily results into increased productivity since it is the same duty done by another person. The first step in delegation process is to identify what to delegate and what not to delegate lest the delegation process will not be effective as anticipated (Sengul, Gimeno & Jay, 2012). However, Hackman (1995) argues that the manager is not encouraged to delegate personnel issues like hiring, firing and disciplinary matters as this may negatively affect his image in the company. Emergency issue with little time to explain and evaluate should also not be delegated by the top management as they are likely to cause problems to the management. The next step is to identify an appropriate delegate with good personality and skills for the delegation process to be effective and yield good results. The right person for the delegated duty will determine the time taken to explain the task and the success of the delegation outcome. The manager is required to give the overview of the assignment including its importance so as to avoid misconception. The success of the delegation process is largely determined by the manner in which the manager describes the responsibility in detail, defining necessary parameters and sets the performance standards (Lawson, 2007). The manager should access the readiness of the employees in accepting the task he is entrusted with by soliciting questions, reaction and suggestions for him. The comments and response from the employees should be carefully analyzed by the manager in effecting the delegation process. When delegating duties, checkpoints, deadlines and ways of monitoring the progress should be carefully established for effective delegation process. The manager should express confidence in the employee’s ability to successfully handle the new responsibility by keeping in contact with the employee hence making it a collaborative process. A well completed task should be recognized and if possible rewarded to encourage the employees in their duties (Lawson, 2007). There are three methods followed when delegating work and they include; the formal, informal and implied methods and both are mutually exclusive (Hirst & Foley, 2001). Most institutions use the formal method of delegation due to their nature and structure which require detailed written instructions outlining the scope of the delegated work. This method is preferred by most organizations since misunderstandings are avoided the subordinates understand what is expected from them resulting to less conflicts. Informal delegation is mostly carried out orally between the manager and the subordinate hence require a high degree of understanding between them to avoid pitfalls in delegation process. However, this method is swifter than formal method of delegation, ? it is not always safe since the delegate may not clearly understand the nature and the scope of the task he is assigned (Finch & Maddux, 2006). Effective delegation does not merely exist for the purposes of getting the job done but also as a prime process by which a manager exercises and develops staff to sensible limits of great potential. Effective delegation involves encouraging creativity by welcoming new ideas form various individuals and this is important in the development of any organization. In effective delegation, the delegator surrenders the privileges he enjoys and accepts that the job will be done successfully by the delegate. At the same time, the delegator should be willing and ready to accept failures as well as success of the delegation process so as to prove his maturity and understanding in management (Lawson, 2007). Careful planning is the secret behind successful delegation and thus managers should clearly calculate their steps before embarking in delegation. Delegation is a process than can make or break a manager since it’s an aspect of fundamental skills in management. Managers should understand that delegation is a choice and not a prerequisite management tool and thus should be applied only when necessary. Most managers find satisfaction in delegating duties to the subordinates and this has led to an increase in number of delegated activities in most organizations in the recent past. The manner and the nature in which delegation is carried out in most organizations is what determine the success or the failure of such a delegation process (Morake, Monobe & Mbulawa, 2012). The manager, the subordinate and the organization are potential obstacles to delegation since the nature of their duties affect the manner in which delegation takes place. The manager may exhibit reluctance since they either do not want to delegate or they do not know how to effectively delegate. A manager may not be willing to share power and responsibility by seeing delegation as a sign of weakness hence failing to delegate. Some managers suffer from superiority complex by viewing subordinates as incapable of the delegated duties since they believe that they are the only ones who can perform those duties better and faster (Lawrence & Kohn, 2007). Subordinates may also feel reluctant to accept and pursue the delegated task due to lack of confidence and this may negatively affect the delegation process. The subordinates may resist the delegation process when they realize that it’s associated with a lot of risks which may in turn ruin their trust (Sisson & Frohlith, 1998). This may be supported by the fear of potential implications on their career leading to loss of confidence in performing such delegated tasks. The organizational culture and structure may also be a great obstacle to delegation process based on specific factors related to the organization. Unsupportive organizational culture, lack of delegation history within the organization and unsuccessful past attempts to delegate may highly frustrate delegation efforts. Delegation is real and is happening in and in large scale in most organizations (Morake, Monobe & Mbulawa, 2012). The managers are thus required to understand the basic principles of delegation before initiating an effective delegation mechanism within an organization. An essential aspect of effective delegation is to allow subordinates to learn form their mistakes without suffering unreasonable penalties which may arise from unsuccessful delegation attempt. It’s better if the managers view the mistakes of the subordinates as learning experience so that they avoid stigmatizing the subordinates (Sengul, Gimeno & Jay, 2012). References Brookes, M. Brewster, C and Wood, G. 2005. Social Relations, Firms and Societies: A Study of Institutional Embeddedness. International Sociology, December 2005; vol. 20, 4: pp. 403-426. Finch, L and Maddux, R.B. 2006. Delegation Skills for Leaders. An Action Plan for Success as a Manager. Third Edition. Boston. Library of Congress. Hackman, B.K. 1995. Reconceptualizing Managerial Delegation Behavior. Asia Pacific Journal of Human Resources; vol. 32, 3: pp. 33-52. Hirst, S.P and Foley, L. 2001. Delegation: The Views of Case Managers. Home Health Care Management & Practice; vol. 13, 4: pp. 301-307. Johnston, M.A. 2000. Delegation and Organizational Structure in Small Businesses: Influences of Manager’s Attachment Patterns. Group & Organization Management; vol. 25, 1: pp. 4-21. Klein, K.J. Ziegert, C.J. Knight, P.A and Xiao, Y. 2006. Dynamic Delegation: Shared, Hierarchical, and Deindividualized Leadership in Extreme Action Teams. Administrative Science Quarterly, December 2006; vol. 51, 4: pp. 590-621. Lawrence, M.K and Kohn, J. 2007. The Elements of Effective Delegation. Legal Management News. Oregon. The Journal of Association of Legal Administrators. Lawson, K. 2007. How to Delegate Effectively. Growing Greatness: A Series of Articles to Cultivate Truly Outstanding Leaders. Lansdale. Lawson Consulting Group. Inc. 215-368-9465. Morake, N. Monobe, R and Mbulawa, M. 2012. The Effectiveness of Delegation as a Process in Primary Schools in South Central Region of Botswana. Mmabatho. Int J Edu Sci, 4(2): 153-162. Pratt. J.R. 1997.Delegation: The Sincerest Form of Trust Home Health Care Management & Practice; vol. 9, 6: pp. 81-83. Sengul, M. Gimeno, J and Jay Dial. 2012. Strategic Delegation: A Review, Theoretical Integration and Research Agenda. Journal of Management; vol. 38, 1: pp. 375-414. Sisson, K and Frohlith, D. 1998. The Significance of Consultation and Delegation in the New Forms of Work Organization: The Need for a Re-Appraisal? Transfer: European Review of Labour and Research; vol. 4, 2: pp. 195-213. Read More