Running Head: Delegation
Delegation
Ron Hughes
University of Phoenix
BSAH03WLH3 MGT 330 (Management: Theory, Practice and Application)
Mr. Adam T. Magill
August 7, 2006
According to the website Wikipedia Online, "delegation" is the "handing of a task over to another person, usually a subordinate. It is the assignment of authority and responsibility to another person to carry out specific activities?by allowing the subordinate to make decisions?" Delegation is not the abdication of one's responsibilities, nor is it micromanagement, where the subordinate is coached through each aspect of the task and is thus given neither responsibility nor authority. In this essay, I will be focusing on the basics of delegation, its benefits and how it can be used effectively, including some examples of how I utilize delegation in my own business in an effort to multiply my abilities and, in a sense, "clone" myself.
Delegation is an absolutely essential skill for business owners, company managers and supervisors. It is the key to accomplishing a multitude of tasks by spreading the workload over a number of people, thus expanding the ability to accomplish more and with greater efficiency, accuracy and quality. It also develops employees that are, ultimately more productive and happy. Delegation frees up managers and supervisors to deal with the more strategic work within an organization.
In its basic form, delegation involves working with a subordinate to establish a specific goal, giving them the authority and the resources necessary to accomplish stated goals, and then allowing them to accomplish the goal with as little interference from their s ...