Thinking steps: Moving out of a delegation dilemma

Abstract

Although delegation is a much-talked-about topic among researchers and school administrators, many people, especially those who are newly appointed to assume positions, realize that they are in a delegation dilemma- while they feel it necessary to delegate some of their jobs to their subordinates, either to free themselves so that they can concentrate on more important things, or to develop their staff, they hesitate, and even find it difficult, to delegate. Based on discussions with a large number of middle managers in schools who are Heads of Departments (HOD), Subject Heads (SH) and Level Heads (LH), and on the understanding of the situations they are in, this paper offers a delegation chart containing thinking steps to guide middle managers when they figure out how to step out of the delegation dilemma they are in, and how to do effective delegation. Embracing three categories of purposes of delegation, the chart presents 1) three essential steps of preparing for delegation; 2) three factors affecting selection of subordinates; and 3) four skills in making the assignment.