Trust and Transparency: The key to effective delegation is trust. Once you delegate, have trust in the person’s ability to deliver. Make sure you delegate based on the capabilities of the person to the task at hand, rather than the grade or level of the executive.

 

Set Clear and Measurable Goals: Ensure that people are clear about what is expected, why it is important to the overall strategy and how it will be measured. Ensure that the goals that are set, clearly indicate a career progression for the employee. Review the goals as required.

 

Facilitate Success — Be involved but don’t interfere: Create a motivating environment. Be available. Listen. Ensure that the team has the resources required, and adequate training and upskilling is provided where gaps exist. Be open to adjusting priorities or making additional resources available when required. Help the employees be responsible and accountable. Step in if required but know when to step back.

 

Establish Continuous Feedback Mechanisms: Feedback and review should be a continuous process and not an annual occurrence. Ensure that there is clear agreement on checkpoints, junctures for feedback and milestones. Create an environment which facilitates 360-degree feedback, both formal and informal, and at all levels within the organisation.

 

Learn from Failure: Allow your teams to fail. But remember that people don’t fail, plans and strategies do. Create and nurture a culture that does not fear failure, but learns from it. The discussion should be around what was learned, what to revise or avoid and how to find an alternate path to success.