DELEGATION

DEFINITION

Delegation is giving responsibility, authority and sharing accountability and still maintaining control.

The rules of delegation are:

ü  Be clear about exactly what is delegated

ü  Select the right person and make sure he can do the work

ü  Explain to others who you have delegated the work to

ü  Do not interfere unless when asked to and be prepared for any mistakes

ü  Give Support as needed and follow the progress of work.

ELEMENTS OF DELEGATION

ü    Responsibility

ü    Authority

ü    Resources

ü    Accountability 

ADVANTAGES

The advantages of delegation are:

To the leaders

Delegation haves time for the leader who utilizes it because the time spent on performing trivial issues could be used to perform important functions, if such trivial issues are delegated to a subordinate who could do them. Delegation of duties also avoids long delay that occurs when decisions have to come from the leader. When authority is delegated, such decisions could as well be taken ban able subordinates.
Furthermore, delegation of duties assists leaders to identify training needs of subordinates. When subordinates are trained, this in turn promotes staff development, lake for instance, if a subordinate was delegated to perform immunization exercise for a given community and it is identified that the subordinate does not know how to give the ECG injection, this is a pointer to the leader that, that particular subordinate needs training in the administration of BCG and when that is done, the subordinate has a change of growth and development.

To the Organization

Delegation of duties makes for easy work, efficiency and effectiveness. Delegation enhances organizational flexibility. With the multiple and varied work, personnel changes will not disrupt work activities as many otherwise happen if there is no delegation.

To the Worker or Subordinate:

·          Delegation of duties could he motivational m the subordinate because, when ignorant tasks or duties are delegated to workers or subordinate, it makes them feel that their ability and talents are being utilize or recognized Also it makes them feel that the superior has confidence in his subordinates.

·         Again, delegation allows for acquisition of new knowledge, ideas, skills for the workers. This is so because for any new responsibility delegated to a subordinate, there are changes of his
acquiring new knowledge and skills with responsibility.

DISADVANTAGES

·         If delegation is not properly done, the leads may end up not doing any work, because all that is to be done has been delegated to all other members of the team.

·         When delegation is not properly done, of decisions may ha properly done.

·          If duties are delegated to workers or subordinates, with insufficient experience, work nay not be properly carried out. In management, most leaders are often scare of delegation, because of the associated loss of authority to the subordinate.  

·         Finally, over-delegation of duties leads to redundancy of leaders themselves.