DELEGATION

Delegation is an administration process of getting things done by other by giving them responsibility. It is the grant of authority from the superior to subordinate to accomplish a particular job, as there is a limit to supervise the subordinate; it is must when number of subordinates increases beyond it.

Element of delegation: The following are the elements: -
Assignment of responsibility: The first step in delegation is the assignment of work or duty to the subordinates i.e. delegation of responsibility. The superior ask his subordinate to perform a particular task in a given period of time.

Transfer of authority: It is the second element of delegation. The delegation grants authority to the subordinate so that the assigned task is accomplished. The delegation of responsibility without authority is meaningless.

Creation of accountability: Accountability is the obligation of a subordinate to perform the duties assigned to him. The delegation creates an obligation on the subordinate to accomplish the task assigned to him by the superior. When a work is assigned and authority is delegated then the accountability becomes the by-product of this process. Authority follows downward whereas accountability flows upward.

Factors, which make delegation difficult: -

(a) Overconfidence of superior: The feeling in a superior, ”only I can perform the work effectively than others”, is the main difficulty in delegation. This may not be due to the incompetence of subordinates but due to the overconfidence of the superior.

(b) Lack of confidence in the subordinate: The superior may be of the view that subordinate is not competent to carry out certain things. Under these circumstances the superior hesitate to delegate the authority and responsibility.

(c) Lack of ability in the superior: A superior may lack the ability of delegation, as he may not be able to identify the areas where delegation is required. The lack of the competence on the part of the superior restricts the delegation.

(d) Lack of proper control: The proper control in the Organization helps the manager to keep in contact with the subordinates. Lack of proper control may lead to difficulty in delegation. Since he will not be able to exercise the control he will not like to delegate the authority and responsibility.

(e) Lack of proper temperament of the superior: The lack of proper temperament of superior may also act as a barrier for delegation. The chief executive may be extra cautious or conservative by nature. He may not like to take the risk of the delegation. The subordinate will learn only when he is given a chance to take independent decisions.

How to make delegation effective:

(a) Proper selection of subordinates: The person should be selected in the light of the job to be done. The delegation will be influenced by the qualification and ability of the person for the assignment of the work, as the authority is also required to be delegated for completion of assigned work. The personnel manager should keep these things in mind while selecting or appointing the persons for various positions.

(b) Proper assignment of work: The work and the result expected from it should be clearly defined. They should be given sufficient authority to accomplish the given results.


(d) Proper communication: Delegation does not mean to superior to abdicate his rights to interfere or he should abstain of the responsibility. There should be free flow of information between superior and subordinate. The subordinate should be furnished with power of decisions and he should interpret them correctly. Therefore communication is essential for making delegation effective.

(e) Establishing proper controls: The manager cannot relinquish responsibility and delegation should be accompanied by adequate controls. The performance of subordinate should be regularly assessed. The superior should have proper eye whether the things are going as per the plans.

(f) Rewards for proper implementation: There should be rewards for the effective delegation and successful assumption of authority. This will encourage more and more persons to improve their performance and competence level.


DELEGATION OF AUTHORITY

The job of the manager is to get the work done by others. The term delegate, in common parlance, means to grant or to confer. Thus, a manager grants or confers on his subordinates, certain tasks and duties, along with the sufficient authority to accomplish these.

“The delegation of Authority is the delivery by one individual to another of the right to act, to make decisions, to requisition resources and to perform other tasks in order to fulfill job responsibilities.” O. Jeff Harris

Delegation is the process by which manager allocate a chunk (part) of their workload to their subordinates. Delegation helps in establishing a pattern of authority between the superior and his subordinates. The delegation of authority by supervisors to subordinates is necessary for the efficient functioning of any organisation, as the superior can’t personally accomplish all tasks or completely supervise all tasks carried out by subordinates. Delegation also allows the subordinates to make decisions within the area of assigned duties.

Delegation is a two-sided relationship that requires sacrifices from both the delegator and the delegant. The delegator must be prepared to sacrifice a portion of his authority, and the delegant must be willing to shoulder additional responsibilities. Delegation requires a fair amount of trust between the delegator and the delegant.


FACTORS AFFECTING DELEGATION OF AUTHORITY

The factors that affect the delegation of authority can be studied from three aspects. These are:
1. The delegator’s (superior’s) aspect.
2. The delegant’s (subordinate’s) aspect.
3. The organizational aspect.

The Delegator’s Aspect
A manager may not delegate authority effectively when he has following things in mind:

Love for Authority: An autocratic manager is not very likely to delegate authority to his subordinates. Such a manager likes to make his importance felt by forcing subordinates to approach him often to get their decisions approved. He likes to maintain tight control over his own activities. Such managers like to convey the impression of being very busy and therefore allow work to be piled high on their desk.

Fear of Subordinate’s Advancement: The fear of subordinate’s advancement also affects the manager’s ability to delegate authority effectively. The superior may fear that the competence and good performance of the subordinate might earn him a promotion. He also fear that the subordinate may excel in his job to such an extent that he may become a contender for the manager’s position, status and title.

Fear of Exposure: A superior may not delegate adequate authority fearing that his managerial shortcomings would be exposed if he does so like, procedures and practices followed are not very good.



Attitude towards Subordinates: Delegation of authority requires a certain amount of trust between the superior and the subordinates. Therefore, the superior’s attitude toward his subordinates, and the subordinate’s attitude towards the superior are important for delegation. Lack of confidence in subordinates results that, he may not only avoid delegation, but also does the subordinate’s work himself. A superior, who does not have good interpersonal relationships with his subordinates, is unlikely to delegate authority to subordinates.

Personality traits and experiences of the superior: The personality traits and experiences of a superior affect the way in which he delegates authority to his subordinates. Autocratic managers are less likely to delegate authority. Many managers usually do not enjoy guiding, reviewing and cross-examining their subordinates, and this is unavoidable when authority is delegated.