TY - JOUR
AU1 - Fenn, Norman, E
AU2 - Plake, Kimberly, S
AB - This article is part of a new series focusing on leadership developed by members of the New Practitioners Forum Executive Committee. Delegation means taking true responsibility while giving up some control.1 Relinquishing control can be difficult for pharmacists, especially new practitioners. This difficulty may be due to an emphasis on caring for patients during the educational process or to a degree of uncertainty associated with taking on a new role. Regardless, it has taken hard work to reach this point in the career of a new practitioner, and it is possible that self-reliance has proven to be the most dependable tactic. However, there are often situations where new practitioners must delegate, whether to technicians, other pharmacists, or even other healthcare professionals. This article outlines suggestions for new practitioners to engage and develop their delegation skills. All pharmacists delegate, even if it goes unrecognized. Lea and colleagues2 identified 4 types of delegation when they observed community pharmacists in the workplace. Assumed delegation involves following existing protocols and procedures, whereas active delegation occurs when the pharmacist assigns a task. Partial delegation occurs when the pharmacist intervenes on an assigned task, and reverse delegation is when the pharmacist takes on the original delegated task from the subordinate. The authors found that pharmacists who were in a leadership role tended to employ assumed and active delegation more frequently compared with staff pharmacists, yet all pharmacists delegated to varying extents. In addition, staff pharmacists were less likely to recognize that assigning tasks to their support staff was delegation. New practitioners should cognitively focus on assumed and active delegation. These delegations are the more productive and efficient methods of delegation and allow everyone to fulfill their professional duties. There are some instances in which pharmacist oversight is needed, requiring partial delegation to occur. Whereas technicians are able to answer phone calls or conduct a transaction at the register without supervision, taking a phone call from a physician or counseling a patient is outside their scope of practice and necessitates pharmacist intervention. Reverse delegation is contrary to the overall purpose of delegation and should be avoided. Effective delegation is valued in many situations, including both clinical and nonclinical activities.3–5 Additionally, Clark and White6 identified one of the key traits of successful pharmacy supervisors as their use of delegation. New practitioners are used to having tasks and assignments delegated to them, rather than delegating to others. The ability to effectively delegate may be a secondary consideration in advanced training programs when the primary focus is on clinical skill development, staffing components, or the strengthening of other aspects of professional development. However, delegation is often an underappreciated and underused skill even though it can influence success in the workplace.7 New practitioners may be hesitant to delegate, perhaps due to thinking that they are replaceable, that they should be able to do it all or do it better, or that the quality will not meet the expected level if done by others, or due to misconstrued peer perceptions. Addressing these initial barriers will help pharmacists explore and subsequently improve their ability to effectively delegate. Know yourself Delegation requires the use of several leadership skills, including time management, organization, project planning, and goal setting. For some individuals, one of the most difficult aspects of delegation is trusting others to complete the work at the level of quality desired. According to an article in the Harvard Business Review, when people justify hanging on to the work, they are “confusing being involved with being essential.” 8 For most new practitioners, being self-reliant has been the foundation of their success. Unfortunately, this can hinder professional growth in areas such as delegation. Consider performing a delegation self-evaluation prior to leading a project. In the assessment, look at the personal level of comfort in communicating to a group, ability to effectively organize and manage time, and capability to trust others and to what extent, as well as concerns about team engagement. Be honest in the critique because it can identify shortcomings that could negatively influence the project. If there are areas where confidence in a particular area or skill is low, think about why these are considered inadequate and what would be needed to improve them. Trusting others can be especially difficult when delegating tasks. It is often not easily established; it must be developed over time. There are risks to both sides of this argument when it comes to delegation: Not trusting others can result in increased personal workload and may lead to burnout, whereas trusting too much can result in subpar work or failing to meet deadlines. To start building trust, be open and honest with the team in terms of expectations, roles, responsibilities, and consequences. Then, emulate the behavior desired from the group to show that everyone holds a stake in the project and its outcomes. Know the project Critically analyzing the project is vital prior to deciding which path is most practical. Assess what can or cannot be delegated, and if a task should be delegated at all. Some aspects may require higher functional processing or exceed the timeline if completed by someone else. Project information might be sensitive enough that it cannot be shared with other people. Understanding the time commitment individually and as a group may also influence project direction. Once it is decided that the project should be delegated, multiple aspects should be considered. First, identify the goals and needed steps for project completion. Spend a sufficient amount of time clearly delineating project outcomes and identifying team members for successful completion. For example, consider how many people are needed for the project and if particular skill sets are needed. Review if anything related to the project was attempted before, what happened, what lessons there are to be learned from it, and any additional information that will help in comprehending the work. Determine the project resources and who will procure them. Create a process and protocol to help the team members understand what they should and should not be doing and when the delegator needs to become actively involved. Know the team When delegating, it is important to select the right individuals for the job; in other words, to identify people who can be trusted. If it’s a new or inexperienced team, getting to know everyone becomes even more essential to the project’s success. Failure to do so can result in inadequate results, missed deadlines, or a lack of overall execution. One of the most rewarding outcomes of delegation is when members of the team are able to effectively engage their creativity to complete the project. To do this, connect with the team members to learn their particular character traits. Understanding individual characteristics facilitates matching team members to their most suitable task for the project and shows that each individual’s interests are recognized and subsequently valued by the delegator. The level of engagement for a delegator will also vary. Some people will require more oversight at the beginning of the project, whereas others may require more communication throughout the assignment to ensure things are progressing efficiently. Providing them direction with a measurable outcome allows for creative and unique approaches to the problem and solution. Although the team is working on the project, it does not mean there is no role for the delegator. The project outcome is the delegator’s responsibility, and involving others is needed for it be successfully accomplished. There are 2 types of delegated responsibilities: static and dynamic.9 Static delegated responsibilities involve tasks that are not time sensitive and that carry less risk to the delegator. Dynamic delegated responsibilities are time sensitive, require advanced critical thinking, and carry more risk. Assigning both types of responsibilities to the team offers flexibility to make some key decisions that can ultimately improve the individual team members and achieve the desired outcome. It’s also important for team members to understand that having work delegated to them is not simply an outlet for the delegator, nor does favoritism factor into who is assigned which task. Appreciating the team’s contributive efforts will help maintain a positive environment and show interest in the members’ professional development. Circumstances may dictate a team being assigned rather than the opportunity to choose the members for a particular project. Regardless, it is still important for the delegator to get to know the team. In these situations, engaging multiple leadership skills is vital for a positive outcome. Establishing clear communication within the group ensures that everyone knows why the project is important, what each person is responsible for, and who to approach with any issues relating to the individual’s role. Creating a timeline for project completion once assignments have been handed out sets checkpoints for project updates and expectations for the group. Additionally, it is important to allow some flexibility in the timeline for unanticipated delays and troubleshooting and to combine the individual works into a polished final product. Know the support system The team should use the delegator as its initial support when a question or issue arises or if a critical decision needs to be made. Outside of the group, administrative leadership is a valuable resource that may be used if the team is struggling with the workload or achieving the preset deadlines. Upper management or other supervisors can potentially provide guidance or assistance in getting a project back on track or troubleshooting an issue that has the group stuck. Additionally, consider engaging a mentor with any difficulties faced during the project timeline. Mentors can help with numerous scenarios not limited to just delegation. Team dynamics, group collaboration, timeline challenges, and inadequate quality are just a few examples of issues that may arise for which a mentor can provide guidance. It is highly likely that there is someone on the leadership ladder waiting for the results of the project, and it is appropriate to clarify or discuss the project with that individual when there is a significant hurdle to be overcome and previous attempts at resolution have failed. Know when to give feedback and credit Feedback is always important in the professional development of self and others, and this is especially true when delegating. Hudson9 recognized that feedback should be continuous, as well as both spontaneous and planned. Team members may need varying degrees of feedback, but all members should receive some feedback and credit for the work they accomplished. Even though the responsibility ultimately falls to the supervisor, holding the team members accountable for the quality of work and the global outcomes adds motivation to produce the best possible results. Positive encouragement from an authority figure is often appreciated and can motivate the team members to continue with their efforts.10 Once a project is successfully completed, give the members full credit for their accomplishment. Good leaders disseminate the positive credit and take the brunt of the failure—this is the expectation of supervisors who fail to deliver the work. A team that knows its leader is just as vested as the team is in the project lends encouragement to deliver a strong product. New practitioners and delegation It is likely that new practitioners will be engaged in situations requiring delegation early in their professional careers, and especially so during postgraduate training. Although it is usually the trainees getting tasks delegated to them, there may be a time when a new practitioner must delegate a task to be completed, such as to a technician preparing medication or a colleague responding to a code. There are also committee and professional roles where a new pharmacist may be required to delegate responsibilities to achieve the desired outcomes in a reasonable time frame. Unlike some leadership skills, the need for delegation occurs much earlier in the career and is thus a vital skill to develop early. Conclusion The ability to effectively delegate can reduce individual workload while increasing productivity and rewarding collaborative efforts. Performing a self-assessment prior to delegating will identify personal limitations that can influence the direction and outcome of the project. Getting to know team members is vital to developing trusting relationships and plays a key function in properly delegating work. Engaging support systems, such as management or mentors, at appropriate times can contribute to project success. The authors have declared no potential conflicts of interest. The New Practitioners Forum column features articles that address the special professional needs of pharmacists early in their careers as they transition from students to practitioners. Authors include new practitioners or others with expertise in a topic of interest to new practitioners. AJHP readers are invited to submit topics or articles for this column to the New Practitioners Forum, 4500 East-West Highway, Suite 900, Bethesda, MD 20814 (301-664-8821 or newpractitioners@ashp.org). References 1. Farthing K . Growing talent through delegation . Hosp Pharm. 2014 ; 49 : 6 - 7 . Google Scholar Crossref Search ADS PubMed WorldCat 2. Lea VM , Corlett SA , Rodgers RM . Delegation: a solution to the workload problem? Observations and interviews with community pharmacists in England . Int J Pharm Pract. 2016 ; 24 : 170 - 9 . Google Scholar Crossref Search ADS PubMed WorldCat 3. Levin RP . The ability to let go . J Am Dent Assoc. 2013 ; 144 : 430 - 1 . Google Scholar Crossref Search ADS PubMed WorldCat 4. Nowell LS . Delegate, collaborate, or consult? A capstone simulation for senior nursing students . Nurs Educ Perspect. 2016 ; 37 : 54 - 5 . Google Scholar PubMed OpenURL Placeholder Text WorldCat 5. Lexa FJ . Delegation: getting it right to lead successfully . J Am Coll Radiol. 2008 ; 5 : 850 - 2 . Google Scholar Crossref Search ADS PubMed WorldCat 6. Clark T , White SJ . Becoming an effective pharmacy supervisor . Am J Health-Syst Pharm. 2010 ; 67 : 977 - 80 . Google Scholar Crossref Search ADS PubMed WorldCat 7. Cohen J . Why delegation is a huge key to success ( 2015) . https://www.bizjournals.com/philadelphia/blog/guest-comment/2015/05/why-delegation-is-a-huge-key-to-success.html (accessed 2018 Oct 31). OpenURL Placeholder Text WorldCat 8. Sostrin J . To be a great leader, you have to learn how to delegate well ( 2017) . https://hbr.org/2017/10/to-be-a-great-leader-you-have-to-learn-how-to-delegate-well (accessed 2018 May 28). OpenURL Placeholder Text WorldCat 9. Hudson T . Delegation: building a foundation for our future nurse leaders . Medsurg Nurs. 2008 ; 17 : 396 - 9 , 412. Google Scholar PubMed OpenURL Placeholder Text WorldCat 10. Linney BJ . The art of delegation . Physician Exec. 1998 ; 24 : 58 - 61 . Google Scholar PubMed OpenURL Placeholder Text WorldCat © American Society of Health-System Pharmacists 2020. All rights reserved. For permissions, please journals.permissions@oup.com. 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TI - Developing delegation skills
JF - American Journal of Health-System Pharmacy
DO - 10.1093/ajhp/zxz313
DA - 2020-02-07
UR - https://www.deepdyve.com/lp/oxford-university-press/developing-delegation-skills-x9aOLFibAI
SP - 254
VL - 77
IS - 4
DP - DeepDyve
ER -