Delegating Work (HBR 20-Minute Manager Series)

Routinely keeping track of the special skills of your staff members—and logging their skills into the spreadsheet discussed earlier—will help you match people to assignments

As you compare the skills required with the characteristics and capabilities of your staff members, keep these factors in mind about each person being considered:
• Growth and development. In what ways could the work address the expressed interests and needs of your staff members to try on new roles or take on stretch assignments?
• Development of new skills. Consider how an assignment might challenge a staff member to expand his competencies.
• Availability. You may want to avoid choosing an employee whose work on a more critical project would be interrupted.
• Previous assignments. Try to delegate tasks even-handedly among your staff members to help improve the skills of each, as well as to avoid the appearance of favoritism.
• Assistance required. Determine how much help would be needed from you for successful completion of the assignment and how much time you have available.
• Time on the job. Don’t give new employees extra assignments until they’re fully settled in.

What interpersonal skills