{"id":696,"date":"2026-11-03T09:56:32","date_gmt":"2026-11-03T09:56:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cube-ld.co.uk\/blog\/?p=696"},"modified":"2026-09-18T10:39:28","modified_gmt":"2026-09-18T10:39:28","slug":"the-art-of-successful-delegation-how-do-you-know-when-youve-successfully-done-it","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cube-ld.co.uk\/blog\/the-art-of-successful-delegation-how-do-you-know-when-youve-successfully-done-it\/","title":{"rendered":"The art of successful delegation \u2013 how do you know when you\u2019ve successfully done it?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Great managers know how to successfully delegate, because it\u2019s an important way to get things done, freeing them up to focus on higher-priority tasks.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The evidence confirms delegation is a critical skill \u2013 a <\/span>Gallup study<\/span><\/a> of 143 CEOs of large US companies showed that the companies led by CEOs good at delegation posted an average three-year growth rate of 1,751% – 112 percentage points higher than companies led by CEOs with low or limited ability to delegate.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

A further <\/span>study by leadership consultancy DDI revealed effective delegation is a top factor in preventing burnout<\/span><\/a>. Delegation isn\u2019t only good for leaders. Giving team members the chance to work on tasks can also be an opportunity to help them, build on skills and improve confidence.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Despite it being critical to a team\u2019s effectiveness, delegation is something many managers struggle with. And good delegation goes beyond just asking someone to do a task and giving them a deadline <\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Here\u2019s our guide to successful delegation, including how to know you\u2019ve been successful in doing it.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Cube\u2019s five-point star model of successful delegation<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

When <\/span>delivering training for new managers<\/span><\/a>, we use a five-step model to explain successful delegation, represented by this star. <\/span><\/p>\n

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  1. Define the task<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Asking a person to do something for you doesn\u2019t start with the request. It starts with you having a clear understanding of the task you\u2019ll be passing on. You need to assess the urgency and importance of the task, the deadline, how long it could take to complete, and who has the skills to complete is successfully. Having this clarity and context will help you to make the right decisions and will help you provide a good brief and avoid issues further down the line. <\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    2. Choose the team or person who will deliver<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    Once you\u2019re clear on the parameters of the task, you\u2019ll be able to choose the most suitable person or team to deliver it. You\u2019ll need to take time to consider the timelines involved and existing workloads, as well as who has the skills, confidence and authority to be successful, evaluating what will be the right choice. Additionally, you might decide the task could be a development opportunity for someone, perhaps because it\u2019s not critical and there\u2019s plenty of time<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    3. Explain the task you\u2019re delegating, and your expectations<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    Notice this is step three of the process, not step one. But it\u2019s definitely the crucial one and has the potential to substantially impact whether or not you have successfully delegated.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    You need to clearly explain the task and your expectations of timeline and what success looks like to the person or team you\u2019ve giving it to. Everyone involved needs to end up with a shared view of the task and success factors for delegation to be successful \u2013 and we find this is where the process often comes unstuck.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    The detail you give at this stage will depend on who you\u2019re delegating to and their level of skill or competence. You\u2019ll need to give more guidance to someone less skilled but can rely on a baseline of knowledge from someone who has done the task before<\/span>.<\/span> Regardless of their existing competency, a shared understanding is what\u2019s important here to ensure you both agree what the outcome needs to be<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    4. Agree deadlines and any support<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    Next, you\u2019ll need to agree a deadline for the task you\u2019re delegating. We\u2019ve consciously used \u2018agree\u2019 not \u2018tell\u2019 here, because this step involves discussing the deadline with the team or person you\u2019re delegating to and agreeing a suitable timeframe bearing in mind the urgency or importance of what you\u2019re handing over and their existing workload and priorities.\u00a0<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    In addition to agreeing a deadline, exploring whether the person or team needs any support to complete the task is important. Talk about how you will both\/all communicate progress of the task, when or if you\u2019ll check in during delivery, and what they should do if they struggle or hit problems. This is important so you don\u2019t fall into the trap of a micromanager constantly checking and following up before you agreed you would and vice versa, so you don\u2019t start to worry and lose confidence that they are making the required progress. Agreeing the support and communication at this stage sets out the terms for the relationship to be successful.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    5. Check understanding\u00a0 <\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    Often overlooked, this important final step gives you assurance that you truly have a shared understanding of what\u2019s being delegated and when it will be delivered. This step is the best way to check you have delegated effectively and gives you the confidence that the team\/person delivering has fully understood what they need to do. To check, you\u2019ll need to ask open questions. (If you ask a closed question like, \u201cIs that all okay?\u201d or \u201cDo you understand?\u201d, you\u2019re likely to get a positive answer, but that doesn\u2019t really confirm you\u2019re on the same page.)<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    Ask open questions like:<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n