Delegation is a critical management skill that increases the productivity of a manager’s team by effectively distributing their workload.

In our work, we aim to use our time and energy in the most efficient way. Delegation helps managers manage their time and resources in the most efficient way.

Delegating allows managers to delegate tasks to the appropriate people, relying on the talents and strengths of their team members. In this way, everyone can contribute using their best talents. At the same time, employees have the opportunity to learn new skills and take on responsibility, which increases their motivation and contributes to their personal and professional development.

However, an important point should be noted: When a task is delegated, responsibility is not delegated. The ultimate responsibility remains with the manager.

Based on my observations, I can say that in many sectors, managers are hesitant to delegate or are undecided about which tasks they can delegate. I hear things like, “I’d rather do this job myself than tell someone else about it,” or “These are tasks I really enjoy, but I don’t have time for.” This distracts managers from team development, exhausting them and hindering team development.

Let’s tackle this delegation issue together.

To get started, grab a pen and paper or open a clean Excel file. Then, create four columns and label them A, B, C, and D, respectively.

Think about all the tasks you’re responsible for. Identify which tasks you do very well, enjoy doing, do fast, do on average compared to other employees, and which tasks you are slower at.

Now it’s time to write!

• Write down the tasks you do perfectly, skillfully, or better and faster than most people, which motivate and enjoy you, in column A.
• Write down the tasks you do well but are not very fast in column B.
• Write down the tasks you do on average compared to other people, which you don’t really enjoy doing, in column C.
• Write down the tasks you do below average, are slower than other people, or make mistakes, in column D.

Now let’s talk about which column to delegate tasks to…

• The tasks in column A are tasks you will NEVER delegate because they are your strengths; tasks that you complete with pleasure and success.
• The tasks you will delegate first are the tasks in column D. These tasks are tasks where your performance is below average and you are likely to make mistakes. It is important to delegate the tasks in this column first.
• The tasks you will delegate as a second priority are the tasks in column C. These are tasks where you perform averagely but do not enjoy very much.
• The tasks in column B are tasks that you can delegate from time to time depending on their urgency, importance and the availability of resources. These are tasks that you do not do very quickly but do well. It may be appropriate to delegate these tasks during periods when you will be on leave or when you need to focus on other urgent matters.

After determining the tasks and employees you will delegate, it is very important to explain why you are delegating these tasks. Your explanations will allow you to provide the resources needed to complete the tasks and provide the necessary guidance. In addition, it is extremely critical to support the employee during the completion of the task. When the task is completed, you should not forget to check it and provide the necessary feedback. This approach will contribute to the development of not only you but also your team, creating a solid foundation for long-term success.