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Natalia Litoldo

This course sets out to help leaders shift their mindset about what they can delegate and feel more comfortable and confident doing so. Learners dig into their workload to identify tasks they’d never consider delegating. They use methods for matching people to tasks they’re both motivated and capable of doing. And, they practice the delegation conversation they’ll have to ensure success.

What's inside

Learning objectives

  • At the end of this course, the learner will be able to:
  • Use a tool to help them decide how to best leverage their people
  • Make a commitment to find out more information about their team members to leverage them fully
  • Discuss delegation as a way of both developing people and challenging them to do more
  • Consider the capability and motivation of the people they have available before matching a person with the task they want to delegate
  • Discuss with their peer coach ways to increase the capability or motivation of people who are not already capable or motivated

Syllabus

Delegation: Why you should be doing it more
Share work to empower
Leveraging your people
Making the match
Read more
The delegation conversation
Delegation gone wrong
Think BIG

Good to know

Know what's good
, what to watch for
, and possible dealbreakers
Focuses on shifting mindsets about delegation, which is essential for effective leadership and team management
Emphasizes matching people to tasks based on both motivation and capability, which is a key aspect of successful delegation
Includes practicing the delegation conversation, which helps leaders communicate expectations and ensure successful outcomes
Explores delegation as a way to develop people and challenge them, which is a valuable approach to employee growth
Requires learners to consider the capability and motivation of their team members, which is crucial for effective task assignment
Includes discussion with a peer coach, which may require learners to coordinate schedules and find a suitable partner

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Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Delegation: Engage and Empower People with these activities:
Review Leadership Styles and Theories
Strengthen your understanding of different leadership approaches to better assess which delegation strategies align with your style and team dynamics.
Browse courses on Leadership Styles
Show steps
  • Read articles or watch videos summarizing common leadership styles.
  • Reflect on how these styles influence delegation practices.
Review 'Radical Candor'
Learn how to provide effective feedback and build stronger relationships with your team members through honest and direct communication.
Show steps
  • Read the sections related to giving and receiving feedback.
  • Reflect on how you can apply these concepts to your delegation practices.
Review 'The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People'
Gain insights into effective delegation by understanding the principles of proactive behavior and mutual benefit.
Show steps
  • Read the sections related to interdependence and proactive behavior.
  • Reflect on how these concepts apply to delegation in your workplace.
Four other activities
Expand to see all activities and additional details
Show all seven activities
Identify Delegation Opportunities
Apply the course concepts by identifying specific tasks you can delegate to your team members.
Show steps
  • List all your current responsibilities and tasks.
  • Categorize tasks based on their importance and urgency.
  • Identify tasks that can be delegated based on team members' skills and interests.
Role-Play Delegation Conversations
Practice your delegation skills in a safe environment by role-playing delegation conversations with a peer.
Show steps
  • Find a peer willing to participate in role-playing.
  • Prepare scenarios based on real-life delegation situations.
  • Provide constructive feedback to each other.
Draft a Delegation Plan
Solidify your understanding by creating a detailed plan for delegating a specific task.
Show steps
  • Choose a task identified as suitable for delegation.
  • Outline the steps involved in the task.
  • Identify the team member best suited for the task.
  • Prepare a delegation conversation outline.
Share Delegation Best Practices
Reinforce your learning by mentoring others on effective delegation techniques.
Show steps
  • Offer to mentor junior colleagues on delegation.
  • Share your experiences and insights from the course.
  • Provide guidance and support as they implement delegation strategies.

Career center

Learners who complete Delegation: Engage and Empower People will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:
Team Lead
A Team Lead guides a team towards its goals and often needs to delegate tasks to maintain productivity. The course's emphasis on identifying delegable tasks is highly relevant in the role of a team lead. Engaging and empowering people is at the core of this course, and those are crucial aspects of team leadership. A team lead who takes this course may be able to better leverage the talents and capabilities of team members, leading to increased morale and productivity. The course's focus on matching tasks to individuals based on motivation and capability is tailored to the challenges a team lead faces when managing daily operations. This course is a strong fit for a team lead.
Department Head
A Department Head is responsible for the management and performance of a specific department, often delegating responsibilities to direct reports. This course directly addresses the challenge of delegation, offering tools to help a department head identify specific tasks that can be delegated. The course also provides methods for matching team members to tasks, based on their capabilities and motivations. A department head will find the modules on communication useful, especially as related to the delegation conversation. The focus on empowering individuals is a key component for a department head who strives to achieve departmental goals. A department head may find value in this course.
Operations Manager
An Operations Manager is in charge of the efficient functioning of daily processes and may use delegation to optimize workflow. An operations manager can use this course to better leverage employees by strategically delegating tasks. Identifying areas that can be delegated is a useful skill for operations managers, and so is matching tasks according to motivation and capability. The course's focus on having effective delegation conversations may significantly improve an operations manager's interactions with their team, which may lead to streamlined operations. An operations manager may find this course greatly beneficial.
Supervisor
A Supervisor is responsible for overseeing the work of others and frequently needs to delegate tasks to manage workloads. This course may help a supervisor to understand what tasks can be delegated. The course also helps with tools that can be used to match people to tasks they are both motivated and capable of doing. The course focuses on having delegation conversations and this may be especially helpful for supervisors, who often benefit from improved communication skills. A supervisor may find tools learned in the course to improve their impact.
Area Manager
An Area Manager oversees operations within a specific geographic area, often needing to delegate tasks to local teams to ensure smooth functioning. This course may help an area manager to dig into their workload and find tasks that they would not typically consider for delegation. The modules that discuss matching people to tasks based on their motivations and capabilities may improve the performance of teams overseen by area managers. Improving conversations around delegation is another area that will improve the success of an area manager. An area manager may find this course may be beneficial.
Nonprofit Manager
A Nonprofit Manager oversees the operations of a nonprofit organization, often relying on volunteers and staff to carry out its mission through strategic delegation. This course may help a nonprofit manager to better understand how to leverage the skills of diverse team members by identifying tasks that can be delegated. This course's emphasis on matching tasks to people based on their motivation and capability is crucial for nonprofit managers, who often work with limited resources. The course's practical tools for effective delegation may be very helpful for a nonprofit manager. A nonprofit manager may find this course very well suited to their role.
General Manager
A General Manager oversees a company or division and uses delegation to achieve operational efficiency and effectiveness. This course helps with engaging those that report to a general manager through understanding how to delegate effectively. The course's focus on matching people to the right task is central to effective delegation, and is a focus that would be useful to any general manager. The general manager may be motivated to use the ideas from this course to better empower their team and improve efficiency. The course's tools may be very useful to a general manager.
Program Director
A Program Director oversees the planning, implementation, and evaluation of programs, often delegating tasks to team members to meet program goals. The tools described in this course will help a program director better identify tasks that can be delegated to their team. Matching people to tasks they are both motivated and capable of is also an important aspect of program management. The program director may find the discussion on delegation as a way of both developing and challening people to be of use. A program director may find this course very helpful.
Project Manager
A Project Manager is responsible for planning, executing, and closing projects, often requiring the delegation of tasks to team members. This course helps a project manager identify tasks suitable for delegation and match them to available team members. The methods for ensuring success in delegation are also relevant to a project manager as they may influence project timelines and deliverables. The course encourages a mindset shift toward delegation, which is crucial for project managers who need to distribute workload effectively. Learning to understand the capabilities and motivations of people is also key to the success of a project. This course may help build a project manager’s effectiveness.
Executive Director
An Executive Director leads an organization and typically relies on delegation to ensure that operational goals are met. This course helps an executive director shift their mindset about what they can delegate, as well as feel more confident doing so. The course helps identify tasks that would not previously be considered for delegation. The course’s methods for matching roles to a person’s motivation and capability is a strong component of the executive director role. An executive director may find this course to be very useful.
Office Manager
An Office Manager is responsible for the administrative and organizational activities of an office, which often includes delegating tasks to other staff members. This course may help an office manager identify tasks they can delegate, and feel more comfortable and confident doing so. The methods for matching people to tasks they are motivated and capable of doing may be very useful for an office manager. The delegation conversations discussed in the course will apply directly to the interactions an office manager has with their team. An office manager will find the insights provided in this course to be a useful tool.
Shift Manager
A Shift Manager supervises daily operations during a particular shift, delegating tasks to team members to ensure productivity. This course may help a shift manager identify tasks that can be delegated to their team. The tools discussed to match people to tasks they are both motivated and capable of doing may also greatly benefit a shift manager. A shift manager would also likely gain from the module on the delegation conversation, which may help improve communication with their team. A shift manager will likely find the ideas from this course useful in their day to day work.
Human Resources Manager
A Human Resources Manager oversees employee relations and talent management, sometimes using delegation to distribute workload among human resources staff. Human resources managers may find the course's content around identifying tasks suitable for delegation helpful when optimizing their department's workflow. The course's emphasis on understanding team members' capabilities and motivations when assigning tasks resonates with human resources principles. The lessons on how to conduct delegation conversations may be helpful for the human resources manager when assisting those they oversee. A human resources manager may benefit from the course's insights.
Business Consultant
A Business Consultant advises organizations on improving their performance and often needs to assess delegation practices within a company. A business consultant can use this course to better understand delegation and how it empowers employees. The ability to identify tasks that can be delegated is crucial for consultants when recommending workflow changes. The consulting role also requires adept communication, making the course's focus on the delegation conversation particularly relevant. A business consultant may find this course helpful when analyzing and improving the effectiveness of organizations.
Training and Development Specialist
A Training and Development Specialist designs and implements employee training programs, and could benefit from insights into delegation. The course may help a training and development specialist better understand the relationship between delegation and employee growth. The course's focus on matching tasks to people based on their motivation and capability is relevant in the development of training programs. A training and development specialist may find this course helpful in understanding how to best support employee development. The content in this course may be a useful tool to integrate into future training programs.

Reading list

We've selected two books that we think will supplement your learning. Use these to develop background knowledge, enrich your coursework, and gain a deeper understanding of the topics covered in Delegation: Engage and Empower People.
Provides a framework for personal and interpersonal effectiveness, including principles of delegation. It emphasizes proactive behavior, beginning with the end in mind, and seeking first to understand, then to be understood. Understanding these habits can significantly improve your approach to delegation and empower your team members. It commonly referenced book in leadership development.
Emphasizes the importance of direct and honest feedback in building strong relationships and fostering growth. It provides a framework for giving feedback that is both caring and challenging, which is essential for effective delegation. Understanding the principles of Radical Candor can help you communicate expectations clearly and provide constructive criticism to your team members. This book is commonly used by managers and leaders.

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