Delegation

Delegation is a very important responsibility of management at XYZ Company. It is the real heart and soul of management. The proper practice of delegation includes defining every job function, verifying it's effectiveness, and using that function efficiently. In managing a company like XYZ Company, delegation is more effective one of the four functions of management. Explaining the nature of the business, along with the skills necessary for effective delegation will explain the efficiency of delegation when properly done.

"Delegation is the assignment of authority and responsibility to a subordinate at a lower level" (Bateman-Snell, 2003). This can be viewed as a characteristic of a XYZ manager. However, this in fact is a necessity. To be a successful manager, you must be able to assign certain tasks to certain people in order to continue the fortune of the company. Every business tends to have an evident hierarchy. As a Customer Service Representative, you are considered to be one of the lower participants, if not the lowest, in that hierarchy. This is a way that the company in general has delegated responsibility. Due to the structure of the company, it is the Customer Service Representative's responsibility to handle all customer accounts efficiently. This, in one way, shows the importance of delegation with Ford. In order to be an effective manager within the company, however, you cannot rely merely on its structure.

Within XYZ, every employee has a role, no matter what the department. I am considered a trainer. My job is actually to help train newly hired employees, as well as field any questions or concerns they may have on a particular account or situation. This responsibility was delegated to me from my immediate supervisor. He has shifted the responsibility to me, a subordinate in the business, so that he can have more time to run certain reports, creates schedules, and perform reviews on employees. I’m sure there are many other duties, but doing this, places certain responsibilities onto me. According to Bateman- Snell, along with delegation of work comes delegation of appropriate authority to complete the job (Bateman-Snell, 2003). To continue up the hierarchy, some of the reports that my supervisor is doing, was shifted to him from his immediate supervisor. He has all first level supervisors following different aspects of the company so that he can compile a report for review of his boss, and so forth. This way a certain amount of accountability is placed on each participant.

Planning, one of the four functions of management, is setting specific goals, and taking the appropriate actions to reach those goals. Delegation is the key to successful planning within Ford, and many other companies. With any new project, or in fact any type of change within the company, corporate has to give their “O.K.” to initiate. Once that is given, it is the next level manager that has to begin planning how that change is going to happen. In doing so, must be clear on the outcome desired. In addition, he must decide what function of the company will be affected, and what that function must do to bring this plan to life. At this point, this manager is defining, or in some cases redefining the purpose of that function. He then delegates the responsibility and authority to get this change complete. Specifically, at XYZ, our Corporate office in Dearborn, MI gives that “O.K..” Then it is up to the Branch Manager to decide what department, or person within the branch can handle, and efficiently perform this change. Depending on the department, it will then be passed to the Center Operations Manager to either complete, or further delegate to his or her Team Leaders (first line supervisors). And once more, if required, it will be handed off to the Customer Service Representatives. Delegation, however, does not come easy for everyone. There are quite a few managers that do not possess proper skills to delegate tasks. To appropriately delegate, you have to be able to visualize. You have to be able to clearly see the outcome that you need. That will give you an idea of who is qualified to give you that outcome. In addition, you have to be able to take control of a situation. You have to be forceful, but not overbearing in your approach to assign responsibilities. Thirdly, you have to be able to depend on other people. Knowing exactly