8 Delegating Leadership Style Examples

There is one leadership style that allows employees to get involved in the decision making. It is referred to as delegating leadership style, but the leader will still be responsible for the decisions made. Basically, employees may have the confidence and skills to make decisions and analyze situations within the company wherein they may thrive under it.

History of Delegating Leadership

In the 1960s, Kenneth Blanchard and Paul Hersey engineered this style of leadership wherein the leader will be able to provide guidance when making decisions. The leader will then delegate the responsibilities to his or her followers in order to complete the task at hand. It will be duly monitored by the leader anyway based on the requirements necessary to finish the job.

How It Works

1. Increase work satisfaction.
When an employee initiates completion of the job by his or her own, then it will definitely increase his or her level of work satisfaction. This means that this initiative can give people the chance to do whatever is necessary as how they perceive it and accomplish the job in time.

2. Encourage self-motivation.
This type of leadership style will allow self-motivated employees to do their job accordingly without the need of constant instruction. Delegating leadership style will definitely work for those with strong internal motor and develops when he gets to manage his resources.

3. Still requires leaders.
The good thing about this technique is that it can provide a hands-off management style for the leader. However, it does not mean that a leader is no longer necessary for consultation. Leaders are still there to provide helpful advice to his or her subordinates.

Examples of Delegation

1. Provide the whole task to be done.
The management should ensure that the delegated person have understood everything about the task given to him or her. If possible, allow that person to get involve in the management and planning of the job. It will be more effective if members contribute to the fulfilment of the job as they often see the big picture.

2. Allow subordinates to do research.
It will be a lot productive for the team to allow the one delegated by the leader to do some research, answer questions, and create reports afterwards that can be used for decision making. This will enable the person to provide a report with feeling of flexibility.

3. Delegate responsibility for decision making.
It is the option of the management to allow someone to make the decision for them. However, it is the final say of the manager that still matters most. This will give the person delegated with authority to decide but it remains the prerogative of the manager to make the final say.

4. Delegating authority unless management interferes.
Another example is to authorize people and make him or her feel that all is well until the management intervenes.

5. Full delegation of authority.
It will authorize subordinates to complete the job as they see fit. However, the management can put itself at risk when things aren’t properly handled. Effective delegation can be practiced to build teamwork, motivates to handle situations, and to step up to new responsibilities when they get in charge.