Framework for Effective Delegation 1 – Asrar Qureshi’s Blog Post #1069

Framework for Effective Delegation 1 – Asrar Qureshi’s Blog Post #1069

Dear Colleagues! This is Asrar Qureshi’s Blog Post #1069 for Pharma Veterans. Pharma Veterans Blogs are published by Asrar Qureshi on its dedicated site https://pharmaveterans.com. Please email to pharmaveterans2017@gmail.com  for publishing your contributions here.

Credit: Cedric Fauntleroy

Credit: Ketut Subiyanto

These posts are based on an INSEAD article by Eliot Gattegno and Nadav Klein. Link at the end. 

Preamble

The article starts with an interesting opening.

[Quote] Consider this man. He takes daily post-lunch naps and frequently dozes off in a lounge chair after dinner. He spends his afternoons at home rather than at the office, tending to his garden and golfing. He spends months away from work on vacation. He prides himself on avoiding “hustling”. “I’m here because I shirked: [I] did less work,” he reflects.

Many people may look askance at such a guy, but in fact this was how John D. Rockefeller, arguably the wealthiest man in modern history, spent his days. Rockefeller attributed his productivity not to his own hard work, but rather to his ability to delegate; He was able to assign responsibility to people in his organization so that the work could be scaled as effectively as possible. [Unquote]

Delegation had always been important; however, it is more talked about and less practices. There are several reasons why it happens. A common reason is that managers do not want to delegate because they want to keep their hold over everything. For those who want to delegate, the main reason is that they don’t know how to delegate. The process and framework are neither available nor clearly understood. The authors of INSEAD article have suggested a 5-stage framework for the process of effective delegation. We shall take these up in these posts. 

Task-Based Delegation: The Foundation of Effective Leadership  

Task-based delegation is the most fundamental level of delegation, where leaders assign specific, well-defined tasks to employees while maintaining close oversight and control over the process. While this approach can help distribute workload efficiently, it offers limited productivity gains as it requires continuous supervision.  

Characteristics of Task-Based Delegation

• The manager assigns individual tasks rather than projects or broader objectives.  

• The manager retains close control, frequently checking progress.  

• Employees follow specific instructions and often need approval before making changes.  

• Tasks are usually short-term, repetitive, or operational in nature.  

An example from Pharma Industry will go like this. The marketing manager tells the product manager to extract data from IQVIA and to prepare a sheet by compiling data, rather than giving him full responsibility for analyzing market trends and making recommendations.  

Advantages of Task-Based Delegation

Reduces Manager’s Workload – Offloading routine tasks allows managers to focus on strategic priorities.  

Ensures Consistency & Quality Control – Since leaders closely monitor execution, there’s less risk of deviation from expected outcomes.  

Great for New or Inexperienced Employees – Task-based delegation provides clear guidance and structure, making it easier for new hires to learn processes.  

Useful for Urgent, High-Stakes Situations – In time-sensitive or critical scenarios, managers can quickly assign tasks and ensure completion.  

Example: While planning a major new launch, the Director Marketing delegates various tasks to team members while keeping the overall control with himself/ herself.  

Challenges & Limitations of Task-Based Delegation  

Time-Consuming for Leaders – Constant oversight prevents managers from focusing on bigger-picture initiatives.  

Limited Growth Opportunities for Employees – Employees may feel like “order-takers” rather than engaged contributors, leading to low motivation and job dissatisfaction.  

Can Create Bottlenecks – Since employees lack autonomy, they may need frequent approvals, slowing down execution.  

Not Scalable for Large Teams – In growing organizations, managers who rely only on task-based delegation may struggle to manage workloads effectively.  

Example: A marketing manager who assigns only specific tasks (e.g., “Post this ad on social media” rather than “Develop a digital marketing strategy”) may find themselves overwhelmed by decision-making responsibilities.  

When to Use Task-Based Delegation

• When working with new employees who need guidance before handling larger responsibilities.

• When assigning high-risk tasks that require precise execution (e.g., financial reporting, legal compliance).

• When dealing with urgent, time-sensitive work that cannot afford mistakes.

• When the task is repetitive and does not require independent thinking (e.g., data entry, administrative support).

Suggestions to Improve Task-Based Delegation

Clearly Communicate Expectations – Provide step-by-step instructions, deadlines, and quality standards to ensure employees understand the task fully.  

Use Checkpoints Instead of Micromanaging – Instead of constant oversight, schedule brief progress updates to ensure alignment.  

Encourage Initiative – Allow employees to suggest better ways to complete tasks, gradually increasing their autonomy.  

Transition to Project-Based Delegation Over Time – Once employees gain experience and confidence, start delegating broader responsibilities instead of just tasks. This is the next in framework anyway. 

Example: A senior accountant may start by assigning a junior accountant to enter invoices (task-based), but over time, they can transition them to handling entire accounts (project-based).  

Sum Up

While task-based delegation is an effective way of developing the staff, it is just the steppingstone to start the delegation process. In our local scenario, task-based delegation is favored more by the managers because:

• They feel more secure that the tasks shall be done on time because they control the process

• They feel in command because everyone comes and asks for approval of even tiny, small things.

• They can instruct clearly that all decisions shall be taken by them as it is in line with the spirit of task-based delegation.

• Finally, they can keep everyone on task-based delegation for as long as they want, without developing them further, telling others they are not yet ready to go further.

All said and done, managers must understand that delegation is important for their own growth. If they do not develop their staff to take over their portfolio, they will not be able to progress ahead. If not for any other reason, delegation must be done for this very selfish reason.

Concluded.

Disclaimers: Pictures in these blogs are taken from free resources at Pexels, Pixabay, Unsplash, and Google. Credit is given where available. If a copyright claim is lodged, we shall remove the picture with appropriate regrets.

For most blogs, I research from several sources which are open to public. Their links are mentioned under references. There is no intent to infringe upon anyone’s copyrights. If, however, it happens unintentionally, I offer my sincere regrets.

References:

https://knowledge.insead.edu/leadership-organisations/art-delegation