Delegation – the Skill/ Will matrix

Delegation takes a lot of time and can lead to costly mistakes but if you don’t do it, you won’t grow and could end up being an obstacle in your own business.

You may find the below useful. It’s called the skill/ will matrix and it helps you to think about the people you are delegating to.

Essentially, if they have low skill and are not motivated to do the job, you’re going to need to tell them what to do, unless you can motivate them to see why it would be good for them to take on the new task.

If they are very willing but a bit clueless (a new recruit or a new job fits into this category), then guide them carefully – spell out what needs to be done, how and to what standard and check the work before they make a big mistake or miss a crucial deadline.

If they have a lot of skill but no motivation to do the task, you’ll need to excite them before you can rely on them to take on the delegated task with enthusiasm.

And finally, if they know how to do the task and are very willing, delegate away! Be careful that you have really understood their levels of skill and motivation and spend time explaining and checking that they do understand the task.