The Subtle Art of Delegation and Prioritization

The weight of work can often feel overwhelming. However, as a manager, there’s much to recommend delegation and prioritization. You have a team and it’s important to their growth (and yours) to pass tasks along. It’s a winning scenario for everyone, allowing for better management over the workload, while empowering employees to take on new responsibilities.

Making time to prioritize and delegate can seem a daunting feat, but it’s necessary. Delegating tasks frees up your own precious hours to pursue more pressing matters and allows employees the chance to learn, grow and shine.

Effective delegation strategies across remote teams results in increased productivity that leads towards greater business growth potential… and who knows? Maybe even some well-deserved R&R for you!

 

 

What is delegation?

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Delegation refers to the process of assigning specific tasks or responsibilities to others within an organization. The goal of delegation is to efficiently use the skills and abilities of all team members, while freeing up the time of the person delegating the tasks.

This allows the person delegating to focus on urgent projects that require their specific skills or knowledge. Delegation can improve productivity, increase efficiency and promote the growth and development of team members.

Effective delegation requires clear communication, setting expectations and providing the necessary resources and support for the person taking on the activity.

The process of delegation

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Who?

• A successful team is one that knows each individual’s strengths and weaknesses. Get to know the talent around you so that when a project comes up, you’ll be prepared to delegate work.

When?

• Delegate work to team members by taking into account everyone’s workload and schedule. For example, an employee going on vacation is not the person to fill in for a project that’s due tomorrow and won’t be around for follow-up and enquiries.

What?

• With your team’s projects clearly outlined, it’s time to divide and conquer. Make sure everyone gets the jobs for which they are most qualified. Delegate responsibilities based on skills and talent. Now you can ensure that all activities get done quickly and efficiently.

Where?

• Streamline the process by using a data tool to centrally manage who’s been assigned which responsibilities. Make sure everyone knows exactly what needs doing and that it gets done.

Why?

• Remember, you have a talented team on your side and everyone has their own specialty. Why spend time manually filing the paperwork when interns are can complete the activity? Put yourself in the best position for success with a strategic delegation of duties.

What is prioritization?

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Prioritization refers to the process of identifying and organizing tasks or responsibilities based on their level of importance or urgency. It involves evaluating the relative value of different activities and focusing on the most urgent ones first to achieve the most significant results.

Prioritization helps teams manage their time by focusing on the most critical activities, avoiding distractions and procrastination, and ensuring that the most important goals are met. If you struggle to discern between priority conflicts, divvy up your list into daily, weekly and monthly increments.

1. Urgent-Important Matrix

   This method helps to identify which tasks are urgent and which are critical, allowing you to prioritize the most important tasks that need to be done first.

2. Eisenhower Matrix

   This method prioritizes tasks into four categories: urgent and important, important but not urgent, urgent but not important, and not urgent or important.

3. ABC Analysis

   This method categorizes tasks based on their importance, with A tasks being the most critical and C tasks being the least important.

4. Pareto Principle

   This method prioritizes tasks based on the 80/20 rule, where 80% of the results come from 20% of the tasks.

It’s important to note that prioritization is an ongoing process that should be reviewed and adjusted regularly, as priorities and situations can change over time.

Even if you have excellent prioritization skills, it’s still important to monitor the work that’s been meted out. Use TimeTrack Timesheet to gauge the success of delegation and prioritization with an overview of everyone’s working hours, breaks and deadlines.

The process of delegation

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Get it together

Before kicking off your next big project, take a few minutes to sit down with the team and get organized. It might sound tedious but it’s worth it. Investing just 10 minutes in planning can actually save you 100. So, jot down everything that needs to be done on Excel or a whiteboard.

Identify high-priority work

To make the most of your time and energy, it’s essential to prioritize tasks that have both importance and immediacy. These are the ones that can really drive strong results.

Budget your time

With a loose plan in place, you can break down your project into more achievable targets. Make sure to structure the timeline so that it’s realistic and within reach, while keeping you on track.

Plan for the unexpected

With the ever-changing nature of life, it pays to stay prepared! Planning out tasks right away allows us to account for potential disruptions. Whether you’re hit with an unexpected project from the boss or must tend to an urgent personal issue, having a clear plan in place can make these bumps easier to manage.

Stay motivated 

Don’t let procrastination be the winner. Start your day with a quick, easy win! When you walk into the office get right to it by creating an achievable To-Do List that gives you traction. A great way to do this is by checking off something small but significant, like “Make A To-Do List”, so momentum builds.

Efficient delegation and prioritization of tasks

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Before delegating a task, clearly communicate the desired outcome, the deadline and specific instructions or guidelines. This will help the person or team understand exactly what is expected of them and how to complete the task effectively.

1. Assign tasks to the right people

   Consider the skills and abilities of team members when assigning tasks. Delegate tasks to those who have the necessary knowledge, experience and skills to complete the task efficiently.

2. Provide support and resources

   Make sure that the person has access to the resources and support they need to complete the task. This might include training, tools or additional staff.

3. Set clear deadlines

   Setting a clear deadline for when the task should be completed will help ensure that the work is completed on time and that progress can be tracked.

4. Follow up

   Regularly check in with the person or team taking on the task to ensure that they are on track and to avoid any issues or concerns being addressed.

5. Prioritize tasks effectively

   Use a prioritization method that works for you and your teams, such as the Urgent-Important Matrix or the Eisenhower Matrix. This helps identify which tasks are most important and need to be completed first.

6. Don’t micromanage

   Once a task has been delegated, give the person freedom and autonomy to complete the task in their own way. Micromanaging can slow down the process and hinder productivity.

7. Recognize and reward good work

   Show appreciation for a job well done and recognize the efforts of team members who have successfully completed delegated tasks.

With clear delegation and task prioritization, the whole team can benefit from a job well done. If you truly want to revamp your organizational culture, begin with a time audit to understand time on task. This will help reduce wasted time, energy and resources.

Conclusion

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After mastering the art of delegation, you will reap tremendous benefits with your team taking care of tasks that used to take up your time.

Foster a culture where employees are challenged and given opportunities to shine. It’s an effortless way to acknowledge their efforts and show them trust. Taking control out of the equation can be intimidating, but ultimately leads to greater productivity and sets a positive example.

Start by implementing TimeTrack Duty Roster which can go a long way in assisting with delegation and prioritization. The tool allows managers to assign specific tasks and responsibilities and helps with scheduling and tracking the progress of the team.