Do not ignore skill and will
A manager must appreciate the capabilities and motivations of each employee before responsible delegation can commence. A sport’s coach would not send their team into a competition without practising extensively beforehand. So to achieve responsible delegation, we must answer two important questions:
- Does the employee have the necessary knowledge and skill to undertake the delegated activity? (The “skill”)
- Does the employee have adequate confidence, commitment, and comfort with the assigned task? (The “will”)
The Tao Coaching matrix (Figure 2) is a simple model that can be used to assess the readiness of employees. However, it is important that you remain fair and impartial when evaluating an employee’s ability to take on a new role or activity.
This individual may be new to an activity or lack confidence if they have tried and failed before. To build will, the manager must be clear about the outcome and provide specific instructions. Allowing the employee to achieve small “wins” early builds motivation and skill. A mentoring approach with frequent feedback is necessary.
A highly enthusiastic employee who is new to an activity or role. An approach using a combination of directing and coaching is required. Allow the employee to ask questions and provide a risk-free environment to allow early mistakes with feedback and learning. As the employee develops skill, management control can be relaxed.
An experienced and skilled individual with low “ motivation. Their current role may not be challenging, or they may have previously been exposed to poor delegation. It is essential to identify the reasons for their lack of motivation. Once allocated an activity, this employee may need monitoring and regular feedback.
A skilled employee who wants to be challenged with new opportunities to grow and develop. The manager should outline the outcome, but provide freedom to do the job. This employee can be encouraged to assume more responsibility with involvement in decision making. While praise is important, it is essential not to micro-manage.