Guide to Becoming a Better Delegator

Prioritize your workload

List everything you need to accomplish, and assign priority codes (A, B, C, etc.).

I recommend: Download a template of a prioritized to-do list from MindTools.com.

Break down projects into smaller tasks

It may not seem plausible to push an entire project off onto another person's desk — but you probably can give someone else smaller components of it, such as research or phone calls.

I recommend: FranklinCovey's PlanPlus software can help you put the elements of a task into hierarchical view.

Evaluate which employees' skills best match the tasks

Don't assign just any task to any person. The least personable employee isn't the right one to contact clients; the one who hates turning in expense sheets probably isn't the best choice for crunching a project's numbers.

I recommend: Delegation Template Tools can help you determine how best to divvy up a task based on various employees' skill sets. Use Project Management Templates from the Project Agency to keep track of which tasks you've assigned to which employees.

Follow up on their success — and yours

Just because you assigned a task doesn't mean it's going to be done correctly, or on time. Follow up periodically throughout the day or week to ensure everything is on track and that the employees have no questions.

I recommend: A program like EasyProjects.Net provides a Web-based format for keeping on top of everyone's progress. Primavera's Project Management Assessment Tool can help you determine how effectively your organization is getting things done.