Getting Things Done Through People

Management means getting things done through people. It therefore involves some degree of delegation or empowerment. Delegation requires a mix of management and social skills and creates a special relationship between the manager and the subordinate. It leaves the manager free to be available and dispensible. It confers autonomy and special favour on the delegate. It requires confidence and trust.

There are two extremes to which delegation can be taken. At one extreme there is no delegation at all, a total lack of autonomy given to subordinates and everything is put down in rules, regulations and guidelines. At the other is the excessive zeal for delegation that leads to the super-delegator, the 'Artful Dodger' who is never there to accept responsibility. The manager must be accountable to his superior and the delegate accountable to the manager. Authority should be commensurate to responsibility. The key is a question of balance of how much power, authority and responsibility to delegate. The manager and subordinate should understand the extent of and restrictions on authority. When they understand these the delegate should be free to act within the agreed terms of reference. Responsibility must be accepted. It can later be withdrawn.

Bad delegation can lead to abuses of power. The execution of power beyond formal position or 'ultra vires' is possible when delegate's control is weak or lost. The abuses occur when the delegate tries to regain control. Control can lead to abuses of power in other ways. The network of social relationships with all the vagaries of social relationships and office politics offers opportunities to act positively and negatively in decision making situations. Negative power may be exercised by subordinates lower down the scalar chain by 'delaying' or 'forgetting' things. These abuses must be avoided.

There are two things that should be remembered when considering delegation - Parkinson's Law and the Peter Principle. Parkinsons Law or the 'rising pyramid' says that work expands to fill the time available to do it. It should in effect multiply subordinates, not rivals. It should also be remembered that it involves the opinion that officials make work for each other. The Peter Principle says that in a hierarchy individuals rise to their level of incompetence. It is something people remember when considerations are being made regarding promotions and delegations. Pull or push relationships may be used to analyse and decide. Pull relationships are those that include family and blood relationships and acquaintances. Push strategies involve study, hard work, training and education and efforts at self improvement. It should perhaps be remembered what Pascal once wrote about not making 'the richest person on board the captain of the ship'.

The contingency approach to structures is widely advocated in delegation. It is a development of systems theory. Systems theory is always in danger of falling foul of the insidious nature of management when it creates an oppressive environment or 'iron cage'. It is not sinister as such, but taken for granted, uses rules and methods of self control to stifle resistance and maintain the legitimacy of central authority. Contingency theory operates on the principle that there is no one best way to act in any situation. So it also involves recognising that the manager must delegate power and accept that the delegate may do things in a different way. There are a number of structural variables that may be affected. The manager can apply the 'if-then' method of analysis and control.

Delegation is part of the business world. It is inevitable as business grow and each job gets too big for one person.