We may earn an affiliate commission when you visit our partners.
Course image
Mike Clayton

I was a manager myself, so I know the challenge of getting the best from my team members – using their time well, keeping them motivated, and developing new skills. 

And I also know the pressures on your time, now you have more responsibilities.

The solution to both is... Delegation.

It doesn’t matter how good you are at doing stuff: once you become a manager or supervisor, you need to be able to delegate.

And that’s what you’ll learn by the end of this course.You'll be able to delegate with the confidence that the task is under control.

What you'll get

Read more

I was a manager myself, so I know the challenge of getting the best from my team members – using their time well, keeping them motivated, and developing new skills. 

And I also know the pressures on your time, now you have more responsibilities.

The solution to both is... Delegation.

It doesn’t matter how good you are at doing stuff: once you become a manager or supervisor, you need to be able to delegate.

And that’s what you’ll learn by the end of this course.You'll be able to delegate with the confidence that the task is under control.

What you'll get

You’ll get 18 lecture modules and 7 assignments, going deep into the craft of delegation. so you’ll be able to delegate precisely and with confidence that the work will be done… And done well.

A lot of your learning will come from exercises. They are short 'thinking' exercises, that will help you find a lot of the answers for yourself.

I will brief you by video on each exercise.And then I'll debrief you in a second video lecture. In that, I'll share the best answers I have, for each of the questions I set you.

This course has five sectionsIn the Introductory section, we’ll talk about

  • what delegation is

  • how to avoid reverse delegation, where you end up doing the work your team members are supposed to be doing for you.

A lot of new managers, supervisors, team leaders, and project managers find it hard to delegate. They give all sorts of reasons why they don’t do it. So, in section 2, we’ll look at those excuses, and why they are bogus. 

Delegation is a powerful organizational tool. But only when used for the right reasons. In section 3, we’ll look at:

  • the positive reasons to delegate, 

  • the reasons you should never use for delegation, and 

  • the tasks that you should keep to yourself, and not delegate at all.

Section 4 is the main part of this course. You’ll learn the five-step process for delegating effectively, and we’ll tear down each step to understand how it works. 

Finally, in section 5, we’ll wrap it all up. 

Who I designed this course forThis course is designed for you if:

  • You are a new manager, supervisor or team leader

  • … or you hope to be

  • You have some experience, but need a refresher on delegating

  • If you hope to succeed in management and want to make a rapid start

  • … and if you are unlikely to get all the support and advice that you want from your colleagues and your organization.

If this sounds like you, and if you are ready to start succeeding as a leader, enroll now by clicking the button.  I look forward to working with you.

Prior Experience The only prior experience you need is working life. But, if you have management, supervisory, or team leading experience, you'll find it even easier.

Your Tutor Your tutor is Dr. Mike Clayton. As a senior project, program and change manager at the international consulting firm, Deloitte, Mike led large and complex change projects for his clients. 

Now, as a trainer and facilitator, he has been applying what he learned and teaching it to others. This course represents 15 years' experience of what tools students find most helpful, and 25 years experience in business, managing change, large and small.

And What if you have questions? I will be on hand to answer your questions if you get stuck, puzzled, or just want to know more. As a professional trainer, this is what I do, and I promise to respond within 24 hours of your question arriving with me from Udemy. 

Enroll Now Enroll for this course now, so you can start to regain control of your life straight away.

Enroll now

What's inside

Learning objectives

  • Quite simply,you will be able to delegate with confidence
  • You'll understand the blockers to delegation
  • ...and be able to overcome them
  • You'll know the delegation process
  • ...and be comfortable applying each step
  • You'll get more from your team - so, they will be more productive
  • You'll get more time for yourself - so, you'll be more productive too
  • Your team will be more resilient and better able to cope when you're away
  • Your team will be better motivated
  • And you'll prepare them for promotion
  • Which will make you more promotable too!
  • Show more
  • Show less

Syllabus

Introduction

Welcome

I'd like to introduce myself, and tell you what's in this course.

And I'd also like to invite you to download your course workbook.
This has space for you to take notes and do the course exercises., so I recommend you print a copy to keep by you as you watch the videos.

Read more

We need to define our terms and be clear what delegation is.

The best way to do this is to compare it with "allocation".
The two are all-too-often confused.

You may be team leader, supervisor, manager or a boss...

But do you sometimes find yourself picking up work that your team can't do?
Let's see why that happens and, critically, how to avoid it.

Often, we are able to overcome a block when we understand it...

So, here, I'll explain the most common reason why new managers, team leaders, and supervisors find it hard to delegate.

This is lecture the core of your course.

Here, I'll describe the basic five-step delegation process I use.

In the rest of the section, I'll go into each step in detail.

In this step, you'll figure out what to delegate, and who to delegate to.

So much depends on setting things up correctly.

So, here, we'll look at what you need to do.
In the next lecture,I'll show you a simple way to remember it all.

As promised, here is a handy acronym, BOAT TAR, to help you remember how to brief effectively.

Here's the part way too many people forget

...and that includes books and training courses, I'm sorry to say.

You can delegate at different levels.

And I will illustrate this with five primary levels.

Why do I think step 3 is so important?

Let me introduce you to some basic psychology... and my friend, Jiminy Cricket.

What are your responsibilities, once you have delegated the work, and they have got started?

Let's see.

Endings are as important as beginnings.

Let's see how to finish the process with properly.

If you delegate work, you owe it to that person to give them good quality feedback, from which they can learn and develop

In this video, I'll introduce you to a simple framework, to give your feedback a real BOOST.

One of the commonest questions I get asked is:

'When should I offer positive feedback, and when should I use negative feedback?'

What a good question.
It deserves an answer.

What makes delegation work really well?

As important as the process, is your attitude to doing it well.

Here are four attitudes I think are key.

But, as you'll hear, I'm not going to wish you good luck...

If you liked this course, I have created a fair number of courses, and I am continuing to create more.

1.            Practical Project Management

2.            Managing and Leading Change: Real World Strategies & Tools

3.            Day-to-Day Leadership that Gets Results

4.            New Manager's Five-week Success System: 25 Days > Management

5.            Dealing with Conflict at Work: Real World Strategies & Tools

6.            How to Develop Gravitas: Be the Voice of Wisdom & Influence

7.            Leading Effective One-on-One Meetings: Practical Skills

8.            Practical Time Management: Do more, Get more, Live more.

9.            How to Get the Most from Your Meetings

10.         Take Back Control of Your Life: When and How to Say No

11.         How to Thrive in a VUCA Work Environment

12.         How to Delegate without Stress

Traffic lights

Read about what's good
what should give you pause
and possible dealbreakers
Breaks down the delegation process into five steps, which offers a structured approach for new managers to learn and implement delegation effectively
Addresses common excuses for not delegating, which helps new managers overcome their reluctance and build confidence in their delegation abilities
Explores the reasons to delegate and what tasks should not be delegated, which provides guidance on making informed decisions about delegation
Includes exercises with video briefings and debriefings, which facilitates active learning and provides insights into effective delegation strategies
Requires learners to have working life experience, which may exclude students and others who have not yet entered the workforce
Discusses how to avoid reverse delegation, which is a common pitfall for new managers who may inadvertently take back tasks from their team members

Save this course

Create your own learning path. Save this course to your list so you can find it easily later.
Save

Reviews summary

Practical guide to stress-free delegation

According to learners who inferred what they might say after taking the course, this program provides a highly practical and structured approach to a core management skill. Students appreciated the focus on overcoming common delegation blockers and the clear presentation of a five-step delegation process. The instructor's extensive experience and the inclusion of self-directed 'thinking' exercises with debriefs were highlighted as valuable components. While the course structure seems robust for new managers, some inferred that more experienced learners might find certain sections basic. Overall, it appears to be a valuable resource for those looking to delegate more effectively and gain back time.
May be too basic for experienced managers.
"This course is perfect if you are new to management and delegation."
"As someone with more experience, parts of the course felt like a review."
"It's a solid foundation, but doesn't delve into highly complex delegation scenarios."
Useful tool for giving feedback.
"The BOOST framework for feedback is simple yet powerful; I can use it immediately."
"Knowing how to give both positive and negative feedback properly is crucial."
"This section provided actionable steps for closing the delegation loop effectively."
Instructor's background adds credibility.
"The instructor's real-world experience as a manager is evident throughout the lectures."
"Learning from someone with 25 years in business makes the advice feel trustworthy."
"His insights on delegation are practical, not just theoretical."
Addresses common issues managers face.
"The section on overcoming excuses for not delegating was particularly helpful."
"Understanding why reverse delegation happens and how to avoid it was a key takeaway."
"I learned not just how to delegate, but *what* and *when* to delegate appropriately."
Exercises help reinforce learning and application.
"The thinking exercises really pushed me to consider my own delegation challenges."
"I found the exercises with video debriefs to be a great way to check my understanding."
"Working through the examples helped solidify how to use the framework."
Course provides a clear, actionable framework.
"I feel confident I can now apply the five-step process to delegate effectively."
"Breaking down delegation into clear steps made the whole concept much less intimidating."
"The process outlined here is easy to follow and makes sense for real-world application."

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 without Stress: What Managers Need to Know with these activities:
Read 'The Effective Executive' by Peter Drucker
Gain a broader understanding of effective management principles to improve delegation skills.
Show steps
  • Obtain a copy of 'The Effective Executive'.
  • Read the book, focusing on chapters related to time management and decision-making.
  • Reflect on how the principles apply to delegation.
Review Time Management Techniques
Strengthen your understanding of time management principles to better assess delegation opportunities.
Show steps
  • Identify key time management techniques.
  • Practice applying these techniques to your daily tasks.
  • Consider how delegation can free up your time.
Delegation Audit
Identify tasks suitable for delegation within your current workload.
Show steps
  • List all your current tasks and responsibilities.
  • Assess each task for its suitability for delegation.
  • Identify team members who could potentially handle each task.
  • Create a plan for delegating suitable tasks.
Four other activities
Expand to see all activities and additional details
Show all seven activities
Role-Playing Delegation Scenarios
Practice delegating tasks in a safe environment to refine your communication and delegation skills.
Show steps
  • Find a peer or colleague to participate in role-playing.
  • Create realistic delegation scenarios.
  • Take turns playing the roles of manager and team member.
  • Provide constructive feedback to each other.
Develop a Delegation Checklist
Create a practical tool to guide your delegation process and ensure consistency.
Show steps
  • Outline the key steps in the delegation process.
  • Develop specific questions to ask yourself at each step.
  • Design a user-friendly checklist format.
  • Test the checklist on a real delegation scenario.
Mentor Junior Managers on Delegation
Reinforce your understanding of delegation by teaching it to others.
Show steps
  • Identify junior managers who could benefit from mentorship.
  • Share your knowledge and experience on delegation.
  • Provide guidance and support as they delegate tasks.
  • Offer constructive feedback on their delegation skills.
Read 'First, Break All the Rules' by Marcus Buckingham and Curt Coffman
Understand the principles of great management to improve your delegation approach.
Show steps
  • Obtain a copy of 'First, Break All the Rules'.
  • Read the book, focusing on chapters related to employee engagement and performance management.
  • Reflect on how the principles apply to delegation.

Career center

Learners who complete Delegation without Stress: What Managers Need to Know will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:
Supervisor
A supervisor oversees a team of employees and ensures that tasks are completed efficiently and effectively. This course provides supervisors with the tools and techniques to delegate tasks confidently and manage their team's workload effectively. Supervisors will gain insights into overcoming the barriers to delegation and fostering a culture of accountability and empowerment. The five-step delegation process taught in the course will be invaluable for those looking to optimize team output and improve overall performance.
Team Lead
A team lead guides and supports a team to achieve its goals. Team leads need to delegate tasks effectively to ensure balanced workloads and foster team member development. This course helps team leads identify suitable tasks for delegation and provides a framework for clear communication and expectation setting. Knowing how to avoid reverse delegation will be particularly helpful for new team leads. By mastering delegation, a team lead can improve team productivity, boost morale, and free up their own time for strategic initiatives.
Project Manager
A project manager is responsible for planning, executing, and closing projects. A course on delegation helps project managers effectively distribute tasks among team members, monitor progress, and ensure timely completion of project milestones. The course's emphasis on understanding the delegation process and overcoming barriers will be invaluable for a project manager who needs to optimize team performance and manage multiple responsibilities. The five-step delegation process taught in the course will be beneficial in assigning tasks and ensuring accountability.
Product Manager
A product manager guides the development and launch of new products. This course helps product managers effectively delegate tasks related to product development, testing, and marketing. By assigning responsibilities clearly and providing the necessary support, product managers can ensure that their teams are productive and efficient. The five-step delegation process taught can be invaluable for those looking to bring new innovations to the market.
Program Manager
A program manager oversees multiple related projects to achieve strategic objectives. Program managers need to delegate tasks effectively to ensure that each project progresses smoothly and contributes to the overall program goals. This course provides program managers with a framework for delegating tasks across multiple teams and managing interdependencies. The insights into the delegation process and overcoming barriers will be valuable in optimizing resource utilization and ensuring program success. Understanding the importance of feedback and communication will also be critical for managing diverse teams.
Operations Manager
An operations manager oversees the day-to-day activities of an organization. They will need to delegate tasks effectively to ensure smooth workflows and meet operational goals. This course's focus on the delegation process will be valuable for an operations manager in optimizing their team's output and maintaining quality standards. The course may help operations managers learn to identify tasks that should and should not be delegated. Knowing how to provide constructive feedback, as covered in the course, will be useful in helping their team learn and develop.
Business Owner
A business owner manages all aspects of their company. They need to delegate tasks effectively to ensure the business operates efficiently and can grow sustainably. This course will help business owners understand how to delegate responsibilities without losing control, empowering employees and growing profits. This course teaches processes to avoid reverse delegation. They may learn how to identify tasks that can be delegated to free up their time for strategic initiatives.
Management Consultant
Management consultants advise organizations on how to improve their performance and efficiency. Understanding delegation is crucial for a management consultant, as they often work with clients to optimize their organizational structure and processes. This course provides insights into the positive and negative reasons for delegation, helping consultants recommend appropriate strategies for their clients. The five-step delegation process will also be useful for consultants in implementing organizational changes and ensuring effective task distribution. The course may help consultants identify areas for improvement within client organizations.
Consultant
Consultants are hired to give expert advice on a particular field. This course may help consultants who deal with workflow and organizational management. It may also help consultants become better delegators of their own work, leading to increased efficiency. Consultants can leverage the delegation techniques they learn to improve the way they engage with client teams. They may also learn how to delegate tasks internally to their team or organization.
Business Analyst
Business analysts identify business needs and recommend solutions. Part of this analysis includes the study of existing workflows and organizational structures. This course may help business analysts understand how to delegate effectively. They can then determine strategies when working for and with clients. They can use their understanding of positive and negative delegation as a basis for their recommendations. They can also incorporate the five-step course process into the recommendations.
Human Resources Manager
A human resources manager oversees employee relations, talent management, and organizational development. Understanding delegation is crucial for HR managers, as it impacts employee morale, productivity, and career growth. This course may help HR managers develop policies and programs that promote effective delegation practices within the organization. The insights into motivating and developing team members through delegation will be valuable in fostering a positive work environment. The five-step delegation process can also be incorporated into HR training programs for managers and supervisors.
Training Manager
A training manager designs and delivers training programs to enhance employee skills and performance. This course may help training managers to develop and implement training programs on delegation for managers and supervisors. The insights into the delegation process and overcoming barriers will be valuable in creating effective training materials. Understanding what tasks should and should not be delegated may help the training manager tailor training to specific organizational needs. They can use this course as a foundation for designing comprehensive delegation training modules.
Account Manager
An account manager maintains relationships with clients. This course may help account managers learn how to delegate tasks to other team members. This helps account managers spend more time on high-value client interactions. By mastering the principles of effective delegation, account managers can ensure that client needs are met efficiently and effectively. This course may also help them to learn the five step delegation process.
Office Manager
An office manager is responsible for keeping an office running smoothly. Delegation skills may help reduce stress, and optimize the workflow of the office. They can identify repetitive tasks that eat up the office manager's time and delegate these to other staff members. The course also focuses on time management, and teaches how to avoid reverse delegation.
Executive Assistant
An executive assistant provides administrative support to senior management. This course can help executive assistants delegate tasks associated with managing schedules, travel arrangements, and communications. This helps executive assistants take on more strategic work. By mastering the principles of effective delegation, executive assistants can ensure that their managers are able to focus on their core responsibilities and achieve their goals.

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 without Stress: What Managers Need to Know.
Challenges conventional management wisdom and highlights the importance of focusing on individual strengths and tailoring management styles to each employee. It provides a valuable perspective on how to delegate tasks in a way that leverages team members' unique abilities and fosters a more engaged and productive work environment. This book is more valuable as additional reading.
Provides a foundational understanding of effective management practices, including delegation. It offers insights into time management, decision-making, and prioritizing tasks, all crucial for successful delegation. While not solely focused on delegation, it provides a broader context for understanding how delegation fits into overall executive effectiveness. This book is commonly used in MBA programs and by industry professionals.

Share

Help others find this course page by sharing it with your friends and followers:

Similar courses

Similar courses are unavailable at this time. Please try again later.
Our mission

OpenCourser helps millions of learners each year. People visit us to learn workspace skills, ace their exams, and nurture their curiosity.

Our extensive catalog contains over 50,000 courses and twice as many books. Browse by search, by topic, or even by career interests. We'll match you to the right resources quickly.

Find this site helpful? Tell a friend about us.

Affiliate disclosure

We're supported by our community of learners. When you purchase or subscribe to courses and programs or purchase books, we may earn a commission from our partners.

Your purchases help us maintain our catalog and keep our servers humming without ads.

Thank you for supporting OpenCourser.

© 2016 - 2025 OpenCourser