It takes hundreds of working parts for a clock to operate. If you forget just one, or the part isn’t installed correctly, the clock will fail, or will not tell time correctly.
That’s what it’s like when you delegate any type of task. If you want the machine to work, you have to make sure that you have all of the working parts accounted for, and you have to make sure you’re monitoring and measuring whether or not they are being placed correctly.
Behavioral Interview Question: How do you decide which tasks to delegate to specific members of your team? How do you asses the results?
The answer here for many managers is simple. “I know my staff.” You can create an answer that basically expands on that, but if you do, you’ll want to focus on the second part of the question – how you assess the results. If you have a different method of delegating to staff other than gut feel, that would be better since gut feelings aren’t generally the preferred employer answer. But above all else, just make sure that you have some real substance in the answer you give.
Sample Answer
“My ultimate goal is the company’s success, so when I choose who to delegate tasks to, I not only look carefully at each person’s strengths, but also at what makes the most sense for the company. For example, if there is one staff member best suited for a task but is currently busy on other projects, rather than moving them mid project and possibly causing delays, I’ll see if there is someone else with similar strengths that can be allocated the task.
With my social media work, there was often a number of talented individuals, so I would manage projects taking into account ability and the total workload. I would ask both the employees and the other managers about their workload to gauge where there may have been some spare time. Then I would draft out a plan that took that into account.
Every single component of the project was planned in full, with timelines and expectations. We had several sessions before a project began as well, to make sure everyone was on the same page and to see if there was any feedback that could help with the projects overall success. Finally, the staff member and I created benchmarks, such as shares, likes, etc., depending on the project. We discussed them in full, and make sure that they were mutually agreed upon.
Social media is fickle by nature, and sometimes even the best work can go unnoticed while the worst work gets shared around and spread. Because of that I evaluate performance by progress, ability to match or beat expectations, and, of course, results. I use key benchmarks to effectively measure results and ensure staff member knows what they are being measured by.”
One of the challenges for this type of question is to be able to apply a real life example. Try to create an answer that explains your reasons for choosing particular people and then focus on what criteria you used to measure the results. This shows you judge your team members objectively and are capable of setting measurable SMART objectives.
See Also Related Posts:
How to Show you Can Delegate Tasks and Responsibilities
Using the STAR technique to Answer Behavioral Interview Questions
Top 5 Leadership Skills You Need to Have
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