Delegation of authority and the principles that make it work

What delegation of authority means

No manager can personally supervise more than a limited number of people; beyond that limit, work has to be shared out. To delegate is to give a subordinate the authority needed to complete a particular assignment, so that the manager can spread the workload and keep for himself the tasks that only his position allows him to do well. Louis Allen saw delegation as entrusting responsibility and authority to another person while creating accountability for performance.

Its three elements

• Authority is the right to command and decide within the scope of a position; it flows downward and can be delegated.
• Responsibility is the subordinate's obligation to perform the duty assigned; it is accepted by the subordinate and flows upward to the superior.
• Accountability works on both sides. The subordinate answers to the superior for how well the delegated work is done, while the superior remains answerable for the final outcome, because accountability cannot be passed down.

Principles of effective delegation

1. Parity of authority and responsibility. The authority given should match the responsibility assigned. Too much invites misuse; too little leaves the subordinate unable to act, and he should not be blamed for duties he lacked the authority to perform.
2. Absoluteness of responsibility. A manager who delegates cannot escape responsibility for what the subordinate does; this responsibility stays with him.
3. Delegation by results expected. The manager first decides the goals to be reached and then gives enough authority to reach them.
4. Unity of command. Each subordinate should report to only one superior, so that orders do not conflict.
5. Functional definition. The results expected and the activities involved should be defined clearly; the clearer the definition, the better the subordinate can contribute.
6. Authority-level principle. Decisions within a person's delegated authority should be taken by him and not pushed upward; only matters beyond that authority go to the superior.
7. Scalar principle. There should be a clear chain of authority, so every subordinate knows who delegates to him and to whom he must refer matters outside his authority.

Two practical rules support these. Performance standards should be fixed before the task is handed over and accepted by the subordinate, and mistakes should be met with more training, not with less delegation.

Suppose the regional manager of an Indore FMCG distributor asks a sales officer to open fifty new retail outlets in a quarter. She states the target, gives him power to offer the approved trade discount, makes him report only to her, and lets him settle routine dealer queries himself, while she stays answerable to the head office for the region's results.

Conclusion

Delegation lightens the manager's load and develops subordinates, but only when authority, responsibility and accountability are balanced and the lines of command are clear. The principles above are the means of keeping that balance.