EXECUTIVE EDUCATION


Get a handle on delegation


OPEN PROGRAMMES BE EXCEPTIONAL. THE HENLEY WAY.


business focus


Chartered accountants Haines Watts presents a series of articles based on its blogs. It offers analysis, reviews and comments and welcomes your feedback at hwca.com/blog


of the m of th Culture is king writes Rodney Style, managing partner, Haines Watts henley.ac.uk/open


‘It’ll take longer to explain to someone else how to do it, so I just do it myself.’ We’ve heard it many times, but in today’s collaborative business context, it’s not an approach that is generally productive


So says Denise Fryer, programme director for the Henley Business School Developing Management Practice (DMP) programme.


You need to consider whether you are doing your own job effectively, and why delegation is needed. But as well as maximising time efficiency, delegation can develop the skills of your team and its members, build morale, and ensure that the best person is being used for each task.


Self-awareness improves team capabilities


Understanding team members’ capabilities is key, but the process often needs to start closer to home, so part of our programme looks at your own individual styles, strengths and weaknesses, and understand where delegation would yield positive benefits.


Diana Richards 01491 418767 exec@henley.ac.uk henley.ac.uk/DMP @HenleyExecEd


THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE – SEPTEMBER 2017


We also consider reasons why you tend not to delegate, such as control freakery, lack of resource or time. Having confidence in the capability of every team member is essential, so the recruitment or development process has to be sound too.


Communication is key


Clearer planning and better communication will usually help overcome the panic to get things done quickly, so we look at a range of issues to help managers find positive solutions.


Expectations have to be realistic and all parties must be clear about what success will look like, and how and when progress will be reviewed.


When it’s used to best effect, delegation is a powerful tool for building performance across a team, so in such a competitive environment, neither you nor your organisation can afford to ignore it.


Business owners will know that company culture – and the atmosphere and environment that is engendered – can have a massive effect on employee morale and productivity.


But when growing a business, how much time do you devote to thinking about the kind of workplace ethics and values you want to establish? Employee engagement is crucial and as important as your commercial growth – the two are intertwined.


Part of your business planning should include ensuring that the right conditions are provided to achieve a successful company culture.


You will need to decide what ‘successful’ should mean. This will include recruiting the right people with the skills and personality to fit in and you may also require a respected colleague to provide support for people-related subjects such as absence, discipline, grievance, maternity, paternity or performance activity.


You’ll also want to ensure that your employees buy into your vision of how the business culture should be.


This doesn’t have to require massive budgets – look at the basics like ensuring colleagues know they are valued. They appreciate praise as well as honest feedback for example. They will also want to feel part of the business, so regular communication on important decisions is key, as is transparency.


Embrace the different businessmag.co.uk 25


personalities within your team and encourage them to use their strengths, while offering training to help them work on their weaker areas and develop.


You might also include in your company culture areas like sustainability; can you increase the use of renewable energy for example – contrary to some popular opinion, it’s still economical to invest in solar panels on buildings, despite the removal of government subsidies. And what kind of company cars will you use – electric?


Lastly, while planning, having external support from experts with experience in sectors like HR and finance can be worth its weight in gold.


For further information: hwca.com


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64