PMs should delegate:
o Routines (to get out of comfort zones)
o Tasks that require technical expertise (to offer challenges)
o What someone else can do better (to increase morale)
o Some enjoyable things to others (to motivate)
o Tasks or challenges to vary the routine of those who have boring jobs
o Activities that will allow people to cross-train one another so that they can manage their day-to-day crises (to increase self-confidence)
o Projects involving the critical, visible issues of quality, quantity, cost and timeliness to self-managed project teams or self-directed teams
What should not be delegated:
* Long range planning (although you should involve others)
* Selection of key team players
* Responsibility for monitoring team’s key project or key function
* Task of motivating fellow team members (people value how much the leader cares for them)
* Evaluation of team members (performance appraisals)
* Opportunity to reward team members
* Rituals such as groundbreaking ceremonies and celebrations
* Touchy, personal matters, or crises
* Items that set precedents or create future policies
Guidelines for effective delegation:
* Explain why the tasks are being delegated and what is their relative importance to the project, larger projects and to organizational goals
* Establish mutually agreed upon results and performance standards related to tasks
* Delegate in terms of objectives rather than procedures. To encourage creativity, give people freedom to pursue tasks their own way (but establish parameters or limits)
* Give team members authority necessary to accomplish the tasks
* Ensure acceptance from the delegatee. Build team members’ confidence in the use of the delegated authority
* Provide continuous support, training, and guidance to assist in the satisfactory completion of delegated tasks
* Demonstrate your confidence and trust in the abilities of project team members by encouraging new ideas and minimizing their fear of failure
* Uncover any obstacles to delegation and develop a plan to minimize the effect of these obstacles
* Remember that people produce the best results when they are having fun and doing what they WANT to do rather than what they HAVE to do. Thus, when possible, delegate tasks on the basis of employee interests
* Facilitate team members’ access to information, people and departments that are not normally available to them. This will demonstrate the PM’s sincerity and confidence in team members and improve task performance
