Delegating Leadership Style: Advantages and Disadvantages

The culture of possessing and delegating leadership style in all the business organization or fellowship we find ourselves can be an inerasable quality which has a strong effect on required growth and development that we need.  Delegation is the process of distributing and entrusting work to another person. In management or leadership within an organization, it involves a manager aiming to efficiently distribute work, decision-making and responsibility to subordinate workers in an organization.

The delegating leadership style is characterized by low levels of directive behavior and high levels of supportive behavior. This style is most effective when followers have high competence and high commitment and can handle tasks independently. This delegation is comparable to a coach relying on star players to make crucial decisions on the field.

There is however the benefit of knowing that running a delegation style of leadership has its own advantages and disadvantages.

Advantages of Delegating Leadership Style

Below are some of the advantages that delegating leadership style can provide:

• Helps Avoid Burnout

Delegating leadership style can allow supervisors and managers to reduce their workload. This is often beneficial and can prevent these professionals from experiencing burnout in the workplace. Delegative techniques can be especially helpful in companies that have many employees and few supervisors and for leaders who fill a large number of roles besides overseeing employees.

• Whets satisfaction

Delegating leadership styles often give employees the opportunity to exercise their individual talents and make decisions about their work. Staff members may also be able to find different approaches to tasks that suit their individual strengths. This can often introduce more flexibility into the workplace and can often lead to increased employee satisfaction and a better company culture. It may also reduce disciplinary incidents which can improve relationships between leaders and staff.

• Strategic Use of Skills

While delegative leaders often avoid overseeing routine tasks, they still have the ability to influence decision-making and project outcomes in their company. This is often beneficial for supervisors who have a unique set of talents and can allow them to focus on their strengths in a strategic way. They can ensure that they are available whenever their expertise is necessary without slowing the workflow of their employees.

• Encourages Trust

A delegating leadership style of leadership requires supervisors to trust their employees’ decision-making skills and work ethic. The trust that this leadership style conveys can increase cohesion among the team and enhance the relationship between staff members and leaders. These factors can make delegative leadership very beneficial in companies that have highly skilled or experienced employees.

• Manages Time

Allowing employees to make individual decisions about their work style can reduce the time that teams spend receiving instructions. It can also minimize meetings and training sessions and can allow employees to focus on increasing their productivity and finding solutions to workplace challenges. Delegative leadership can also allow staff members to apply solutions as soon as they develop them without waiting for approval from supervisors.

• Brings About Growth

Delegative leadership can often encourage growth among staff members. It can help them find solutions that work for them and can help them take more responsibility in their work. Delegation can also allow the most productive employees to excel without being slowed down by micromanagement and can be a good way to prepare employees to take on leadership roles later in their careers.

• Promotes Innovation

Delegating leadership often brings all of a company’s employees into the decision-making process. This can be a good way to make full use of a business’s human capital and can foster an atmosphere of innovation. Encouraging employees to make decisions and take initiative can ensure that companies use all of their resources to confront challenges and find opportunities for growth.

Disadvantages of Delegating Leadership Style

The style also has some of its own disadvantages which points at the fact that delegating leadership style is not saint after all:

• Adaptation

Delegating responsibility can provide a company with increased flexibility and innovation, but it may also prevent it from changing its processes quickly. Using or delegating leadership style often creates an environment where each employee uses a distinct method to complete their work.

This can mean more changes when the company wants to adapt to evolving conditions. If leaders want to enable adaptation, they can consider implementing a set of best practices for all employees, regardless of their work style. Leaders can also consider adopting in ways that allow continued flexibility and can communicate clearly about changes before they occur.

• Confusion

Companies that employ delegating leadership style strategies can sometimes encounter confusion over responsibilities or leadership. Some employees may not fully understand their work or may be unsure of who their supervisor is and who they can ask for help.

Leaders can avoid confusion in their companies by creating open channels of communication, developing a clear chain of command and by working closely with junior leaders. They can ensure that these professionals have extensive training and that they are able to help employees complete daily tasks.

• Productivity

While delegating leadership can provide increased opportunities for highly motivated employees, it can also reduce productivity in some cases. Some employees may be unsure of how to spend their time or may not be aware of the company’s expectations.

To avoid a loss of productivity, delegative leaders can invest in extensive training to ensure that all staff members are able to complete their tasks without supervision. They can also encourage communication and make themselves available to answer questions and provide guidance.

• Cohesion

One benefit of delegating leadership style is that it allows employees to work in ways that allow them to excel. While this can improve employee satisfaction, it may also create a fragmented workplace and can prevent employees from working towards a common goal. Leaders can increase cohesion in their workforce by encouraging collaboration and by creating team projects. They can also promote regular meetings and arrange company events outside of work.

• Accountability

While employees make many decisions in a delegating system, leaders are often still responsible for the success of their company. Since employees may not be responsible for their decisions, delegative leadership can sometimes lead to a lack of accountability among staff members.

Leaders can also use delegation to avoid responsibility and blame employees for mistakes. To increase accountability, leaders can create a system of regular check-ins with employees and can provide a clear system of expectations. They can also ensure that they take responsibility for errors if they fail to provide guidance.