Delegation:
l. Delegate your confidence and trust as well as the job.
2. Don't turn something over to someone and then go ahead and do it yourself or redo it.
3. Many hands make light work. Some jobs are just too big for one person to handle and require the help of many to do it well, without being overly burdensome to any one person. But there does need to be a chairman—someone in charge.
4. When putting someone in charge of a project or party, etc., give them as much free reign as possible. People enjoy using their creativity and working with their own ideas, but they don't want to have to do all the work while carrying out another's ideas and orders. But DO COMMUNICATE NECESSARY GUIDELINES ahead of time, such as budgets for decorations or food, rules such as no lighted candles in the church building, etc., so that everyone will be happy with the results. A meeting of the minds is essential—at the beginning.
5. Delegation shares blessings of service and fosters growth.
6. Delegation helps insure a variety of ideas and talents.
7. Show appreciation, publicly and privately. Give credit where credit is due. Never take credit for another's work or idea.
8. Always keep in mind the different levels of development in people—such as age, experience, abilities, and personal circumstances. Remember what one person can handle with ease can completely overwhelm another.
9. Some leaders tend to do everything themselves either because (1) they dislike having to ask others to help—or don't know how to ask effectively, or (2) they think no one can do the job quite as well as they can. Neither is desirable.
10. Some jobs do require step-by-step instruction. Other times you can just say what needs to be done and leave it entirely up to the person how he accomplishes it. The second way is preferable when possible.
11. Try to have the person feel "totally responsible". He/She might not carry through if he knows you are waiting in the wings to step in and take over for them.
12. Try to promote a feeling of unity and everyone being a very necessary part of a successful team. Each person needs to know about and care about "the whole", not just their part.
13. Don't just delegate the unpleasant jobs that you don't want to do.
14. Train everyone to do everything so they can take over if necessary. Don't try to keep yourself "indispensable".