Delegation is an essential skill for any manager. It helps with team building and the personal development of their staff. However, it is not just a case of offloading your work onto junior staff. Here are some guidelines for helping you get delegation right.

Firstly, define the task and select the individual or team to whom the work is to be delegated. Consider what people are going to get out of it as well as the benefits to yourself.

Assess the ability of the people doing the work. In particular, do they require any specific training to support them, such as sales or management training?

Communicate clearly what needs doing, when it needs doing and, if appropriate, how. Explain how the work fits into the larger picture of the business as a whole.

Discuss and agree exactly what is required to ensure the job is done. Consider people, equipment, materials, location and whether a specific budget is required.

Agree how the work is to be reviewed. When will progress meetings take place and how will progress be measured?

Finally, it is essential that the task is reviewed once it is finished. Were the aims achieved? Ensure that people are given support and constructive criticism if there is a failure. Equally, ensure that the credit for success is also delegated.