Why is Delegation Needed in an Organization?
Delegation is the basic function of an organization. With the loads of activities to be done by the organization’s people, they delegate their work to other people in ambit of their authority. Delegation function is the core concept of management leadership which allows the people of the organization to equally distribute duties throughout the work force of the organization.
In this context, we will discuss the importance of delegation in an organization’s sphere. We will discuss more about elements of delegation, its importance, etc. in this article.
What is Meant by Delegation?
Delegation is defined as the shifting of authority and responsibility for organizational functions, decisions from one person to another. To be more precise about the term ‘delegation’ the following pints are to be kept in note –
Delegation is not about imposing personal responsibility on others. This is about spreading it over the organizational level to gain the best advances of the organization on the basis of short-term and long-term goals.
Delegation does not involve directing people what to do, rather this is involved about the outcomes and result that are associated by working together.
Delegation is not about leadership abdication, rather it takes some time, planning and effort to complete properly.
Each member of the organization can be called a delegate. Thus, a delegation of doctors to a hospital may want to make sure about the rights and needs of patients are not ignored, just as a delegation of people who attends a religious conference to express their concerns and conduct prayer.
Delegation is the act of assigning the authority to another person, this normally happens from a manager to a subordinate staff to carry out specific managerial activities. Delegation is the process of distributing the work to another person. Delegation is the core concepts that include managerial leadership.
Delegation makes the manager fix their own work and delegate responsibility to other people at the same level. From a management point of view, delegation is the shifting of project responsibility to others in the team, making them responsible to finalise the work product effectively.
Elements of Delegation
The elements of delegation are as follows-
1. Authority can be delegated –
As a leader, in the formal authority reign another teammate is assigned a task. In this essence, the teammate takes action on behalf of the leader.
The Authority comes from the power of position. More the authority, more is the ability to delegate the responsibilities.
2. Responsibility is to be delegated, not assigned –
Responsibility is to be delegated to another team mate. However, the leader cannot assign the responsibility to the team mate.
3. Delegating Accountability Means Obligation –
Delegation of work and expecting accountability is the moral compulsion that is required to be felt by a teammate to meet the goals and objectives of an assigned task.
Importance of Delegation
The importance of delegation can be justified in following points:
Frees up Time
For an effective work of the leader, they need to be very balanced about their time and work. When leaders delegate tasks to others, they become free and thereby focus on higher-value activities.
Prioritize important work
Delegation starts with deciding which tasks can be delegated and which is not to be delegated. Prioritizing tasks helps the leaders to delegate the high priority work to efficient employees and rest to others.
Empowers the Employees
Delegation enables the employees to demonstrate their capability to take new work. This will give them confidence to work on challenging activities, delegation gives them exposure to do new activities.
Supports the new skill
Delegation encourages new skills among the team. While the leaders too can take up new activities to focus on hence delegation allows both the leaders and the subordinates to work on a whole new creation.
FAQs on Delegation
1. What is Meant by the Abdication of Leadership?
Ans. Abdication is different from delegation. Abdication is moreover an imposition. When leaders abdicate, that is not an intentional act. If Delegation is done after relinquishing the responsibility then the person delegating the task is actually who is abdicating the same. In the delegation system, responsibility is not relinquished hence the leaders only delegates rather than abdicating.
2. Who is a Delegate?
Ans. A delegate is such a person, who represents the entire group. Delegate is someone who is a selected person of the group. The person performs a task delegated to him by the superiors. While the process of delegation is shifting the activities to another person’s authority, distributing and thereby entrusting the duties to others.
3. Why is Delegation Done?
Ans.
Delegation is done for the following reasons:
1. To free themselves from other tasks.
2. To assign the qualified person the duty or decision.
3. To create opportunities for others to do challenging activities.
4. To seek another person’s perspective on some prior matters.
5. To make the right person able to finish the task effectively and efficiently.
4. How Can Responsibilities be Delegated Efficiently?
Ans. The manager who has authority over the subordinate can delegate the responsibility. A management figure is passing a certain level of trust to a subordinate to complete the tasks effectively. Thus, accountability can successfully delegate the responsibility, subordinates need to be accountable for the tasks they are assigned this will create effective delegation process.