Delegating Tasks for New Managers: Top 6 Tips and Techniques| DT Evolve

Introduction

Are you struggling with your workload and new responsibilities as a new manager? Is delegating tasks becoming a major obstacle to your success? Is it your dream to build a high-performing team that is able to handle any challenges?

Learning the art of delegating tasks can help you achieve your goals and unleash the full potential of your employees. Empowering your team members to stand on their own feet is the sign of a true manager. Take your leadership skills to the next level and transform the way you do work. Delegating tasks is a way to foster a culture of trust and collaboration that also leads to team building and directs everybody towards success.

In this blog, you will learn about delegating tasks. Delegating tasks is a crucial step in achieving your goals. Delegating tasks for a new manager can be a daunting task. There are some tasks that can be delegated, while others you have to do yourself. There are also tips for delegating tasks for a new manager to help get their work done faster and save time and energy.

What is Delegation?

Delegation means transferring responsibilities for specific tasks from one person to another. Managers have the authority to assign different responsibilities to their team members according to their expertise. This is an important step, as the role of a manager involves higher-level strategic planning that takes time and energy. 

For example, suppose you are a content writer. You are responsible for creating various types of content for your website, such as blog posts, social media updates, LinkedIn posts, Pinterest feeds, etc. If you handle all these tasks by yourself, you will not be able to focus on one thing, which may also degrade the quality of your content writing. You can delegate tasks as follows to different experts:

• Editor: You can delegate the task of editing to a professional editor. It’s a good idea to let a professional editor edit your content and make sure that it is error-free. It will save you time and also give you higher-quality results.
• Graphic Designer: To post your content on a website, you need to create graphics and other multimedia content. You can delegate this task to a graphic designer in your team who can help you create high-quality graphics for your content.
• SEO Specialist: To rank your content at the top, you need to do SEO optimization. It is important for you to optimize your content for search engines so that it can reach your target audience. You can delegate this task to an SEO expert if you do not have knowledge of SEO. It will save you time and energy.

Why is Delegating Tasks Important?

Delegating tasks for a new manager can be an obstacle to leading their team effectively when they don’t know how to do it properly. Delegating tasks can lighten your workload and help in building trust and collaboration with your team members.

 When you properly delegate tasks to your team members, they will be able to develop new skills and gain more knowledge in their areas of expertise. It is a sign of respect for your subordinate’s skills and abilities. Delegating tasks for new managers can help them build positive relationships with their team members, leading to a higher level of commitment to their work, organization, and managers. 

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What Stops New Managers From Delegating Tasks

Delegating tasks for a new manager can be a daunting task. One way to identify tasks that can be delegated is to prioritize your own workload and focus on high-priority tasks that only you can do. Then, look for tasks that are important but can be done by someone else with proper training and guidance. But sometimes, people struggle with delegating tasks because they:

• concerned that explaining how to do the work will take longer than doing it themselves.
• are not aware of the importance of prioritizing the work.
• feel guilty about giving people more work
• cannot decide who else can do the work.

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Tasks That Managers Can Delegate

You cannot delegate every important task to your team members. Here are some tasks that you can delegate to them to save you time and energy:

Unimportant Tasks That Do Not Impact Growth

Everything you and your team members do plays a crucial role in the overall function of the organization, but the tasks that do not impact growth can be delegated to other people. The tasks that do not require much experience can be delegated to other people.

Tasks That Someone Else Can Do Better Than You

Being a new manager comes with lots of responsibilities, and being a leader doesn’t mean that you should know every skill that is used in the project. It is a big responsibility of delegating tasks for a new manager. You can delegate tasks in which you don’t have expertise to team members who are experienced in them.

Administrative Tasks

Administrative tasks such as scheduling, data entry, filing, and other similar tedious tasks can also be delegated. A manager has lots of responsibilities to look out for, including menial tasks. So, if you delegate these tasks to administrative assistants or other support staff, it will save you time and energy. 

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Tips for Delegating Tasks 

Here are some tips about delegating tasks for a new manager.

Decide What to Delegate

Every task cannot be delegated to others. A business includes various types of work, some of which are business critical and others that don’t require much attention. Before delegating tasks, you must evaluate the importance of the work and the consequences of delegating it. It isn’t necessary to delegate important tasks if there is another person who has the experience or skill set required for the project or process. 

Acknowledge your Employee’s Strengths and Goals

By delegating tasks to team members who have the necessary skills, you can ensure that the work is completed efficiently and effectively. Additionally, providing opportunities for team members to develop new skills through delegation can help them grow professionally and contribute more to the team in the long run. You must acknowledge their strengths and interests before delegating tasks to them. Communicate with them about their goals and what skills they want to develop. 

Provide the Right Resources and Guidance

A task that is easy for you doesn’t mean that it is easy for the person you are delegating it to. Take some time from your schedule to thoroughly explain the task to the person you are delegating it to. Provide all the information and details of the project, such as desired results, guidance on how to get the work done, the due date for the task, or the priority and expectations of the work. 

Set Up a Clear Communication Channel

It’s important to clearly communicate expectations and provide the necessary resources and support. Regularly checking in with your colleague can help identify any roadblocks early on and make necessary adjustments to ensure success. Provide feedback for their work and also ask them to do the same, like, did you provide enough information to proceed with the task? Do you have any new ideas on this? 

Be Patient

It is important to remember that everyone learns at their own pace, and providing guidance and support can help employees improve their skills and efficiency. Investing time in training and development can benefit both the employee and the company in the long run. Refraining from the temptation of not delegating tasks is real, but delegating tasks can help you get your work done faster. Showing patience with your employees is an important step in the delegation process.

Give Credit Once the Work is Completed

Reward the person who has completed the delegated work by giving them credit. Say “thank you” when someone completes a task you delegated. Showing genuine appreciation for the specific things they did right can provide them with a roadmap for what they should do to be successful.

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Pro Tip on Delegating Tasks for a New Manager: Avoid Micromanaging

Micromanaging is when a manager becomes overly involved in the details of how their employees complete their tasks. Sometimes, it may even become counterproductive. When you are a new manager, the anxiety and stress of the workload can lead you to control every aspect of your employees. Regularly checking on employees, asking for updates on their work progress, and providing specific instructions on how to complete the tasks can lead to a lack of trust and respect between the manager and team members. 

Micromanaging is a common mistake that new managers can adapt to because of the workload. So, avoid micromanaging your employees and encourage them to share their opinions and ideas on how work can be done. Be there to support them, but not to control them. This will create a positive relationship between you and your team members. 

How Can a New Manager Supervise Subordinates Who Are Not in Their Field of Expertise?

It is possible for a new manager to not have experience with the skills of their team. Maybe you became the manager of a digital marketing team while having prior experience managing a project management team. Project management and digital marketing are two different poles of the earth. But with time and patience, you can learn the skills that are required to supervise your team from another expertise.

Instead of micromanaging your team members, you can try various project management tools like Trello, Airtable, or Asana, which can help you better supervise your team instead of micromanaging them. Be there when some questions arise in the delegated work of your team, and try your best to supervise your team. Keep track of the delegated tasks, as not everybody is good at task management, and as a manager, it is your responsibility to keep track of them.

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Conclusion 

Delegating tasks is a way to foster a culture of trust and collaboration that also leads to team building and directs everybody towards success. In this blog, you learned about delegating tasks. Delegating tasks is a crucial step in achieving your goals. Delegating tasks for a new manager can be a daunting task. There are some tasks that can be delegated, while others you have to do yourself. There are also tips for delegating tasks for a new manager to help get their work done faster and save time and energy.