MANAGEMENT TRAINING FOR

INTEGRATED SERVICES
COURSE 4: LEADERSHIP AND DELEGATION
OF AUTHORITY

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 Leadership

Leadership in business is the process of influencing others to
work willingly towards an organization’s goals and to the best
of their capabilities.

The essence of leadership is followership.

Therefore in business it is the willingness of the staff to
follow the directions of the management or business owner.

It is one of the functions of management and also determines
the growth of the business.

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 Leadership Styles

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 Leadership Styles continum
STYLE / VARIANT

Dictatorial Manager makes decision and

enforces them

Autocratic Manager makes decision and Manager “sells” his decision to

announces them subordinates

Democratic Manager suggests his sketched Manager presents a problem, asks

ideas, asks for comments and for ideas, makes a decision from the
amends his ideas as a result ideas

Laissez Faire Manager allows his subordinates to

act as they wish within specified
limits

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 The strengths and weaknesses of each
management style
Management style Strengths weaknesses

Dictatorial (Tells style) 1. Quick decisions can be made 1. It does not encourage the
when speed is required subordinate to give his
2. It is the most efficient type of opinions when these might be
leadership for highly useful
programmed routine work 2. Communication between the
manger and the subordinates
will be one-way
3. Manager will not know until
afterwards if his orders have
been properly understood
Autocratic (sells style) 1. Employees are made aware of 1. Communications are still
the reasons for decision largely one-way. Subordinates
2. Selling decisions to staff might might not buy his decisions.
make them more willing to co- 2. It does not encourage initiative
operate and commitment from
3. Staff will have a better idea of subordinates
what to do when unforeseen
events arise in their work
because the manager will have
explained his intentions

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 Management style
Democratic (consultative style)
Laissez Faire (joins style)
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Strengths
1. Employees are involved in 1.
decisions before they are made.
This encourages motivation 2.
through greater interest and
involvement
2. An agreed consensus of opinion
can be reached and for some
decisions, consensus can be an
advantage rather than a weak
compromise
3. Employees can contribute their
knowledge and experience to
help in solving mare complex
problems
1. It can provide high motivation 1.
and commitment from
employees
2. It shares the other advantages of
the consultative style.
weaknesses
It might take much longer to
reach a decision
Subordinates might be too
inexperienced to formulate
mature opinions and give
practical advice
The authority of the manager
might be undermined
2. Decision-making might become
a very long process, and clear
decisions might be difficult to
reach
3. Subordinates might lack enough
experience
 Leadership development model

Mentoring Trusted leader

Modeling Leadership team

Coaching Leadership team

Knowledge
base Training

Abilities Development

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 Delegation of Authority
This refers to the process of giving authority to carry out a duty
for a superior or of carrying out a certain aspect of the
superior’s duties. This action enables the smooth running and
co-ordination in a business ensuring that growth and
profitability continues.

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 Reasons for delegating authority

There is no physical or mental limitation to the work load of
any individual in authority

The need for specialization

Freedom to concentrate on more important aspect of work

Increase the amount and speed at which work is done

To give accountability

Increase in work output

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 Flow of Delegation in a Business

The flow of delegation or structure is done using the
following:

Organizational chart

Documented in schedules

Documented using manuals

A weak organizational structure results in stress and conflict
in the daily operations and performance of business activities.

In the figure below the flow of delegation is better explained.

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11 ©Intercamp Consulting 2010
 Process of delegation

Specification of performance level of subordinates, outlining
duties and responsibilities for each job title

Subordinates agreement to perform or carry out delegated
duties which is usually provided in the employment
document given to subordinates when he/she is employed

Allocation of resources for carrying out tasks

Exacting responsibility to work from subordinates

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 To whom should you delegate?

The factors to consider here include:

The experience, knowledge and skills of the individual as they
apply to the delegated task.

What knowledge, skills and attitude does the person already have?

Do you have time and resources to provide any training needed?

The individual’s preferred work style.

How independent is the person?

What does he or she want from his or her job?

What are his or her long-term goals and interest, and

How do these align with the work proposed?

The current workload of this person.

Does the person have time to take on more work?

Will you delegating this task require reshuffling of other responsibilities and
workloads?

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 How should you delegate?
The following principles are used to delegate successfully:

Clearly articulate the desired outcome. Begin with the end in mind and
specify the desired results.

Clearly identify constraints and boundaries. Where are the lines of
authority, responsibility and accountability? Should the person:

Wait to be told what to do?

Ask what to do?

Recommend what should be done, and then act?

Act, and then report results immediately?

Initiate action, and then report periodically?

Where possible, include people in the delegation process. Empower
them to decide what tasks are to be delegated to them and when.

Match the amount of responsibility with the amount of authority.
Understand that you can delegate some responsibility, however you can’t
delegate away ultimate accountability. The buck stops with you!

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Delegate to the lowest possible organizational level. The people who are closest
to the work are best suited for the task, because they have the most intimate
knowledge of the detail of everyday work. This also increases workplace
efficiency, and helps to develop people.

Provide adequate support, and be available to answer questions. Ensure the
project’s success through ongoing communication and monitoring as well as
provision of resources and credit.

Focus on results. Concern yourself with what is accomplished, rather than
detailing how the work should be done:Your way is not necessarily the only or
even the best way! Allow the person to control his or her own methods and
processes.

Avoid “upward delegation”. If there is a problem, don’t allow the person to shift
responsibility for the task back to you: ask for recommended solutions; and
don’t simply provide an answer.

Build motivation and commitment. Provide recognition where deserved.

Establish and maintain control.

Discuss timelines and deadlines.

Agree on a schedule of checkpoints at which you’ll review project progress.

Make adjustments as necessary.

Take time to review all submitted work.

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 Accountability

When delegated work is delivered back to you, set aside enough
time to review it thoroughly.

If possible, only accept good quality, fully-complete work. If you
accept work you are not satisfied with, your team member does
not learn to do the job properly.

Worse than this, you accept a whole new tranche of work that you
will probably need to complete yourself. Not only does this
overload you, it means that you don’t have the time to do your
own job properly.

Of course, when good work is returned to you, make sure to
both recognize and reward the effort. As a leader, you should get
in the practice of complimenting members of your team every
time you are impressed by what they have done.

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 What to delegate

There is always the question of what to delegate and what to do
yourself, and you must take a long term view on this: you want to
delegate as much as possible to develop you staff to be as good as
you are now.

Tasks in which you have experience are the easiest for you to explain
to others and so to train them to take over.

Tasks in which your staff has more experience must be delegated to
them.

Decisions are a normal managerial function: these too should be
delegated - especially if they are important to the staff.

In terms of motivation for your staff, you should distribute the more
mundane tasks as evenly as possible; and sprinkle the more exciting
once as widely.

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