DELEGATION AND EMPOWERMENT

1. DELEGATION AND EMPOWERMENT

2. DELEGATION • Process by which managers allocate authority to workers who report to them • Authority is the legitimate power an organization grants to some of its members to direct and manage the actions of employees of the organization in achieving its goals • Manager shares power doesn’t give it away

3. ADVANTAGES • In absence, assistant assumes interim responsibility • Permits sharing of responsibility for a task with employee with more skill or training • Training device, provides employee with additional skills and knowledge • Manager accomplishes more • Spend time in planning and staff development • Helps with time management

4. DISADVANTAGES • Task may not be accomplished • Task may be performed badly, late or not at all

5. STEPS OF DELEGATION • Manager assigns clear objective or well-defined task • Manager grants authority to accomplish task and ensures all involved understand this • Employee understands objective and accepts authority and responsibility. Acceptance creates obligation • Manager holds employee accountable for accomplishing task

6. TO DELEGATE • Must select employee skilled to accomplish task • Allow to assume responsibility, but monitor progress • Anticipate some mistakes and prepare to guide employee in correcting them • Lines of communication always open • Employee can rely on advice, support, and praise

7. IMPORTANCE • Delegation increases in importance as you rise to higher levels of management • How well work is accomplished is reflected by how well manager leads work of employees who report to her/him

8. DO NOT DELEGATE • Establishing missions, goals, objectives for entire unit under manager’s responsibility • Making policy decisions – for instance trayline safety • Defining standards of performance for entire unit • Monitoring the units achievement of standards • Taking corrective action when standards are not met

9. EMPOWERMENT • Self-management accomplished through intrinsic motivation

10. LEVELS OF EMPOWERMENT • PARTICIPATIVE-work environment created by a flexible, situational leadership style • JOB INVOLVEMENT-involved in job design, team emphasis, training more important, managers more supportive-less directive, employees chose responsibility, managers commit to encourage involvement • HIGH INVOLVEMENT-employee empowerment and participative management job-related decisions are promoted managers are highly competent, team building, coaching, training, delegating, more costly-additional time in hiring, in training and development – developed through communication • SUGGESTION INVOLVEMENT-encouraged to contribute with little change in day-to-day activity, managers retain power to decide if suggestion is used

11. ROADBLOCKS TO PARTICIPATIVE MANAGEMENT • Commitment from the top • Employee skepticism • Employee’s level of development • Cultural differences • Fear of failure and job insecurity • Managers as obstacles same fears as employees unwilling to give up power and authority give up control does not have skills and information