Manager Responsabilities and Effective Delegation

MANAGER RESPONSABILITIES AND EFFECTIVE DELEGATION

Management Responsibilities

And the Effective Use of Delegation at My Current Organization

Alex Solis

University of Phoenix

Abstract

Delegation is the assignment of new or additional responsibilities to a subordinate. This paper will explain and examine how managers in my current organization delegate, as part of their responsibilities. As well as, how delegation is performed, and how it can better be used within one of the four functions of management. This paper will explain via examples and situations how delegation is used within my current place of employment, and what skills are necessary for effective delegating in the working environment of today’s business environment.

Management Responsibilities and the Effective Use of Delegation at My Current

Organization

According to Webster’s Dictionary delegation is defined as “The act of a person designated to act for or represent another or others” Delegation is also defined as “The assignment of new or additional responsibilities to a subordinate.” Thomas S. Bateman, Scott Snell (2004). In every business organization, where there are Hierarchical Levels, such as Upper Management, Middle Management, and Lower Management delegation takes place every day. This paper will attempt to analyze and explain how delegation takes place at my current place of employment. As well as how managers in my organization delegate. This paper will also examine how delegation can be used more affective while leading, as it pertains to the third of the Four Functions of Management. Lastly this paper will also discuss what skills are necessary for effective delegation.

Management Responsibilities

My Current Place of Employment

I am currently employed as a Supervisor at a nonprofit agency in Ventura County, California. At my current place of employment we fall under the Hierarchical levels as well. My current position would fall under the Lower Management. There are Coordinators and Managers at the Middle Management levels, and there are Assistant Executive Directors and Executive Directors at the Upper Management levels. These same authority levels span throughout the different departments in the entire agency. Each separate department throughout the agency has the same set up, leading to the same set of Upper Management. Delegation however, is not the same throughout the agency, as supervising techniques, and circumstances tend to vary greatly form unit to unit.

Management Responsibilities

The management responsibilities at my place of employment are fairly straight forward. The Upper Management is directly responsible for Middle Management. Middle Management is directly responsible for Lower Management. Lower Management is responsible for Line Staff. At each level of management there are different sets of responsibilities. Upper Management is responsible to ensure the future of the agency. This may entail grant writing, funds management, and staffing issues. At this level several of these responsibilities are delegated to Middle Management. Managers and Coordinators have a big part in grant writing and staffing issues. The staffing issues are usually the ones that get delegated to Lower Management. Lower Management is responsible for most of the everyday delegating, and must ensure that all is running smoothly as it should be. When it is not running smoothly as it should be Lower Management is in charge of fixing the issues and communication back to Middle Management and so on and so forth.

Delegation at My Organization

Delegation at my place of employment follows the Hierarchy Pyramid. However, the amount of delegation varies. Since the authority is spread out over various levels, there is delegation is often taking place. Some of the Managers and Coordinators are more comfortable with delegation. Others prefer to Micromanage. In my department we have them both. As one might suspect this makes for some ineffective