DELEGATION

Need for Delegation Work is done at the lower levels and only

important business is passed on to the leader. Effective leadership is made possible only through the process of delegation.

Immense Educative Value: One of the duties of a manager is to build up his/her subordinates, to train them in the art of sharing responsibility and making decisions which is possible only through delegation. Delegation of authority has therefore, much educative value.

Flexibility in Rigidities: Delegation provides the necessary flexibility to the otherwise rigid procedures.

Economy and Efficiency:- Proper delegation of authority minimises delay, makes service more effective, economical and efficient. These are the virtues of division of labour and delegation of authority.

Meaning of Delegation According to Mooney, delegation means

conferring of specified authority by a higher to a lower authority.

It means that delegation is the devolution of authorityby a superior person to his agent or subordinate subject to his supervision and control.

Described in terms of degree of authority delegated, delegation may be:

i. full or partial

ii. Conditional or unconditional

iii. Formal or informal

iv. Direct or intermediate

Delegation is full when complete powers are conferred on the agent for example, when diplomatic representative is sent abroad with full powers to negotiate.

It is partial when he/she is required to get advice and guidance on critical points from the delegating authority in his/her country.

Delegation is conditional when the action of a subordinate is subject to confirmation and revision by the superior, it is unconditional when subordinate is free to act without reservations

Delegation is formal when embodied in written rules, by laws or orders.

It is intermediate when it is made through third person

. Intermediate delegation is rarely found. Mooney gives two instances of such delegation.

They are the election of the president of USA by the people through Electoral College and the election of the pope by the congregation through Council of Cardinals.

It may, however be mentioned that delegation does not mean abdication of responsibility on the part of delegating authority.

Characteristics of Delegation i. Delegation is the authority to act in a

certain way independently but within the limits prescribed by the delegation.

ii. Delegation has a dual character. As Terry has observed, “it is something like imparting knowledge you share with others who then possess the knowledge and you still retain the knowledge too”.

iii. Authority once delegated can be enhanced, reduced or withdrawn according to the changing circumstances.

iv. One cannot delegate the authority which himself does not possess. However, he does not delegate the entire authority, because if he delegates all his authority, he cannot work.

v. Delegation may be specific or general. It is specific when courses of action for specific objectives are specified, it is general when these are not specific, though objectives are specified.

General Principles of Delegation

i. Delegation should be written and specific.

ii. Authority and responsibility for each position in the management group should be spelled out and delegation should be made to a position rather than to an individual.

iii. The authority to be delegated should be within the competence of subordinates to exercise safely.

iv. Delegation should be properly planned and systematized.

v. Systematic reporting system should be established with those to whom the authority has been delegated to ascertain that authority is being used properly.

vi. Policies, regulations and procedures should be well defined so as to give no misunderstanding to the employees using discretionary powers.

vii. There should be free and open lines of communication between the delegations and delegates. This brings the superior and subordinates closer and can help in solving many problems which come in the way of delegation.