The development of effective management techniques
Management Techniques
Author
Institution
Introduction
The development of effective management techniques to deal with the problems and challenges that a certain organization is, arguably, one of the urgent needs of many organizations and businesses in the current times. This is especially when taking into consideration the increasingly competitive global environment, as well as the rapid modification and advancement of technology and the business environment (Rao and Rao, 1999). The new tendency to develop successful organizations in the world today is grounded in the development of effective skills, which would be used in dealing with the challenges facing the organization in reaching its own objectives, mission and goals. At the heart, of all management techniques is a need to improve the organization’s efficiency and effectiveness. While quite a vast number of management techniques exist, the skills on how to delegate duties and responsibilities are arguably the most contentious. It is noteworthy that, a vast number of managers desist from delegating responsibilities for fear of disrupting the flow of their teams or even jeopardizing their job security (Rao and Rao, 1999). This paper aims at examining the various ways of delegating responsibilities effectively, as well as the advantages of delegating responsibilities. The paper will use secondary sources to determine the advantages of delegating responsibilities.
Thesis: The delegation of responsibilities in an organization comes with positive outcomes when it is done in the appropriate manner.
Delegation of decision making and responsibilities is one of the most difficult things for many businesses and entrepreneurs. This is especially when the entrepreneurs have been carrying out the tasks since the inception, and, therefore, have an emotional involvement or attachment to the organization. The entrepreneurs have a hard time letting go of decision making, thanks to this attachment. In essence, it is imperative that the management’s emotional aspect is considered, since personal feelings of managers may hinder them from taking the appropriate course of action. Nevertheless, the growth of a company means an increase in the number of responsibilities. Not only would the number of departments increase, but their scope and size would also increase. In essence, the management of all the staff and departments in the organization would become too much for a single individual. The individual would not only be limited in terms of time, but also the management skills. This, therefore, underlines the importance of delegation of responsibilities and duties in an organization especially as concerning decision making. It would be an effective tool managing productivity, as well as time. However, it is imperative that an individual does not simply pass-off his failed or unwanted assignments. Doing this would not only breed frustration but also result in resentment, which can be detrimental to the success of the organization, department or team. In fact, it may wear out the respect that junior employees have for the management. Proper delegation involves a careful consideration of what an individual is capable of doing for his (Brown, 2005) or her team, while keeping in mind that the management ultimately remains in charge of the completion of the assignment. There are various benefits that come with effective delegation of duties and responsibilities.
First, it is worth noting that the delegation low-priority and low risk tasks would increase the overall productivity of the team. As the company, or organization begins to look for ways in which it can maximize its productivity, experts in time management recommend that the managers keep a time-log of all activities for a minimum of two weeks (Brown, 2005). This assignment would allow the management to track its low and high-priority undertakings. The management should aim to delegate some of the routine or low-priority tasks among the team members, as such a thing would increase its productivity and give the management time to tackle issues that require their utmost attention. It can obviously be overwhelming for an individual to have too many tasks. Research shows that when an individual has too many tasks to accomplish, the quality of his work would decrease as he would feel rushed when carrying out the task (Hawkins, 2002). In essence, it is imperative that the managers look at the things that they carry out on a daily basis and determine whether they can be delegated to other people with the necessary competence. These tasks should be listed alongside the names of individuals to whom they are to be delegated. It is imperative that the managers guard against over-assigning and under-assigning.
Secondly, delegation of duties and responsibilities would allow for a reduction of stress by mainstreaming the workload of the team leaders or managers. As a manager, one is charged with quite a number of responsibilities and tasks to be completed within a short time. If one decides to work on them alone, he or she would be limiting himself to the things that he has the capacity to accomplish within the stipulated time (Hawkins, 2002). As the technology and achievement demands increase, the roles of managers also undergo a tremendous evolution. An expansion of the roles increases the difficulty of a manager to commit to everything on his or her agenda. It is worth noting that a single act of disorganization may send the morale of the team spiraling downward. However, the delegation of duties and responsibilities would allow managers to have enhanced control of their day and team morale while they work to establish an environment of shared-responsibility within the team (Brown, 2005). Managers would be capable of managing the demands placed on them by taking steps achieve the goals realistically, especially by effectively utilizing the team’s strengths. In essence, it is imperative that they look at delegation as a way of enhancing the achievement of the goals through stretching the ability of the team. They should resolve to delegate some of the tasks and monitor their progression periodically. This would reduce their stress levels, as well as increase their control and confidence as to their role as managers. In fact, they would be assisting others to add value to the organization and be successful by giving them tasks and responsibilities. This is especially when the chosen delegates are sufficiently competent to accomplish the tasks.
Third, delegation of responsibilities and duties would build the morale of the staff. When managers fail to delegate responsibilities, they are essentially missing a prime opportunity of offering their knowledge and support (Singla, 2001). This is especially having in mind that additional duties would help in enhancing the knowledge base, as well as developing their job skills. In fact, the opportunity may uncover hidden talents. It is worth noting that the delegates should not only be empowers to make the appropriate decisions, but they should also be informed or made to understand that guidance and assistance are available should they need it. The manager’s job is to communicate his or her expectations and instructions in a clear manner. The strength of the organizational structure would be enhanced when all the stakeholders know the expectations. Feedback would be needed to confirm the soundness of the structure, as well as determining whether some ideas should be revisited (Singla, 2001). It is imperative that the managers also determine whether some informal or formal training is required to enhance the success of the delegates. In addition, acknowledging the contribution of the employees and showing the managers’ appreciation is crucial for job satisfaction of the employees, and consequently their performance and that of the organization (Singla, 2001).
Steps in the delegation of duties and responsibilities
Evidently, delegation has quite significant benefits to any organization. It is worth noting, however, that delegation does not entail telling others what they should do. Caution has to be taken especially when the task is critical, or even when the reputation or job security of the manager is pegged on the task. While there is no blueprint as to how delegation should be carried in all organizations, it is imperative that these steps be taken into consideration.
First, the managers should define the duties and tasks to be delegated. They should ensure that the task is appropriate for delegation and meets all criteria for delegating.
Second, the team or individuals should be selected while considering what the company and the teams will be gaining from the delegation (Armstrong, 1993).
Third, the managers should assess the abilities of the team, as well as any training needs. Ensure that the selected individuals understand what the task entails. On the same note, it is imperative that the responsibilities and duties being delegated are explained clearly. This should include an analogy as to how the duties fit into the overall scheme of responsibilities. The required results should be stated to the delegates. The delegates should be able to state how they intend to ensure that the job is done appropriately (Vohra, 1990).
Fourth, it is imperative that managers and delegates consider the resources required including the money, materials, equipment and even human resources. They should also agree on the timeframe within which the duties will be completed. This should include the dates when the duties will be reviewed, as well as the priorities in case of complex tasks.
Fifth, it is imperative that the appropriate support and communication is done. Ensure all the parties who need to be privy to what is going on in a reasonable time. The stakeholders should be warned about any awkward issues pertaining to protocol or politics (Armstrong, 1993).
Sixth, it is imperative that the delegates are informed as to their performance. If they have not achieved the objectives, it is imperative that the managers review with them the reasons why the plan did not work out. It is worth noting that the managers should absorb the consequences that come with failure, as well as pass the credit for impressive results to the workers (Armstrong, 1993).
In conclusion, delegation comes with a number of positive outcomes including reduction of managers’ stress, promoting the morale of the workers, as well enhancing the productivity of the group. However, this should be done appropriately to ensure the effectiveness of the delegation process.
References
Brown, A, (1945). Organization, a formulation of principle. London: Hibbert Printing Company
Rao M.G. & Rao, V.S.P. (1999). Organisation Design, Change And Development. New York: Discovery Publishing House
Hawkins, DG, (2006). Delegation And Agency in International Organizations. New York: Cambridge University Press
Singla, RK, 2001). Business Organisation and Management. New York: FK Publications
Armstrong, M, (1993). A handbook of management techniques. New York: Kogan Page
Vohra, ND (1990). Quantitative techniques in management. New York: Tata McGraw-Hill
(Rao and Rao, 1999) (Vohra, 1990) (Armstrong, 1993) (Singla, 2001) (Hawkins, 2002) (Brown, 2005)
