What do you do if you're unsure about delegating tasks to the right individuals in career development?

Delegating tasks to the right individuals is a key skill for career development, but it can also be challenging and stressful. How do you know who can handle what, and how do you avoid micromanaging or overloading them? In this article, we'll explore how you can use motivational interviewing, a technique that helps people explore and resolve their ambivalence, to delegate tasks effectively and confidently.

Find expert answers in this collaborative article

Selected by the community from 2 contributions. Learn more

1 What is motivational interviewing?

Motivational interviewing (MI) is a collaborative, goal-oriented, and person-centered method of communication that helps people change their behavior by enhancing their intrinsic motivation. MI is based on four principles: expressing empathy, developing discrepancy, rolling with resistance, and supporting self-efficacy. MI can be used in various settings, such as health care, education, coaching, and counseling, to help people overcome their barriers and achieve their desired outcomes.

Add your perspective

2 How can MI help with delegation?

Delegation is not just assigning tasks to others; it is also empowering them to take ownership and responsibility for their work. MI can help you with delegation by helping you understand the needs, strengths, and challenges of the people you delegate to, and by helping them develop their own motivation and confidence to complete the tasks. MI can also help you avoid common pitfalls of delegation, such as being too directive, too vague, or too controlling.

Add your perspective

Marina Bragari

Personal brand. Motivation.
Report contribution
The ability to delegate is a skill worth learning.Perhaps no one sees this problem better than you, don't know how to solve it, but it's necessary to entrust this matter to a narrowly focused specialist.If you want to scale your business, you'll l have to learn to delegate work. Yes, it's difficult the first time. The main thing is to express exactly what you need, how you need it and when you need it.The more specific you are, the more likely you are to get the desired result. It is also important to find the best specialist in this field, but the best one for you. It's MI that helps fight internal attitudes that prevent a person from delegating his work, and helps to more specifically find the requirements that you have for a specialist.

Like

3 How to use MI to delegate tasks?

To use MI to delegate tasks, you need to prepare by considering the purpose, scope, and expectations of the task as well as identifying potential candidates. Next, engage the person you want to delegate to by expressing appreciation and explaining the task. Focus on clarifying the goals, roles, and boundaries of the task while actively listening and reflecting back. Evolve the conversation by helping them resolve any ambivalence or resistance they may have about the task and highlighting discrepancies between their current situation and desired outcome. Finally, plan a SMART action plan with their feedback and agreement, offering support and resources.

Add your perspective

4 How to follow up with MI?

Delegation is not only about assigning the task, but also involves monitoring, feedback, and recognition. You can use MI to follow up with the person you delegated to by checking in regularly to ask for progress and challenges. If they encounter any difficulties or obstacles, use reflective listening and open-ended questions to help them find solutions and alternatives. When the task is completed, be sure to acknowledge their efforts and results, express your gratitude and appreciation, celebrate their achievements and learning, and ask for their feedback and suggestions.

Add your perspective

5 How to improve your MI skills?

Improving your MI skills requires practice and feedback. To do this, you should read books, articles, or blogs about MI, and watch videos or podcasts of MI experts or practitioners to learn the theory, principles, and techniques of MI. Additionally, you should apply MI to your own or others' goals and challenges, and experiment with different MI strategies and tools. You can practice with your colleagues, friends, or family, or join a MI group or community. After each session or conversation, reflect on what went well and what could be improved. Identify your strengths and areas for development, and set goals for your next session or conversation.

Add your perspective

Chaimaa NEJMAOUI

Group Digital Specialist @ ECCBC | Empowering Digital Change & Driving Digital Transformation | Industry 4.0 Advocate
Report contribution
Delegating tasks effectively is crucial for career development, but uncertainty about who to delegate to can hinder progress. One effective approach is using Motivational Interviewing techniques. By engaging in open, empathetic conversations with team members, leaders can better understand their strengths, challenges, and motivations, which are key factors in effective delegation. Through MI, leaders can empower their team members to take ownership of tasks and develop their skills while ensuring alignment with organizational goals. MI not only facilitates effective delegation but also fosters a culture of trust, collaboration, and growth within the team.

Like

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?

Add your perspective

What do you do if you're unsure about delegating tasks to the right individuals in career development?

1

2

3

4

5

6

1 What is motivational interviewing?

2 How can MI help with delegation?

3 How to use MI to delegate tasks?

4 How to follow up with MI?

5 How to improve your MI skills?

6 Here’s what else to consider

Motivational Interviewing

Rate this article

Thanks for your feedback

More articles on Motivational Interviewing

More relevant reading

What do you do if you're unsure about delegating tasks to the right individuals in career development?

1

2

3

4

5

6

1 What is motivational interviewing?

2 How can MI help with delegation?

3 How to use MI to delegate tasks?

4 How to follow up with MI?

5 How to improve your MI skills?

6 Here’s what else to consider

Motivational Interviewing

Rate this article

Thanks for your feedback

Explore Other Skills