Delegation
Delegation is a core leadership skill, central to effective team-working, personal development, and preparing people for future roles. The resources on this page are designed to help you reflect on your delegation skills and provide practical advice, strategies, and tips for successfully delegating within your team.
Please note: the resources on this page focus on general workplace delegation skills and approaches applicable across many settings. They do not cover delegation under the Veterinary Surgeons Act and Schedule 3. For delegation to veterinary nursing staff within the legal framework, refer to RCVS guidance on Schedule 3, the RCVS SUPERB checklist, and relevant case studies.
Resources
The following materials explore general workplace delegation skills that are applicable across a wide range of settings. While they can help you reflect on your style and approach, remember to consult Schedule 3 guidance when delegating certain tasks to veterinary nursing staff.
Videos and podcasts
- Overview of the Situational Leadership Model (3:28) - introduces Hershey and Blanchard’s model to explore delegation in relation to leadership style.
- Situational Leadership: Getting the Best from People Day to Day (4:12) - discusses applying situational leadership to get the most from your team.
Articles
- To Be a Great Leader, You Have to Learn How to Delegate Well (10 min read) - Sostrine, J, Harvard Business Review, 2017. Describes the shift from doing to leading and gives four strategies for effective delegation.
- 8 Ways Leaders Delegate Successfully (5 min read) - Grayson-Riegel, D, Harvard Business Review, 2019. Explores barriers to delegation and the importance of challenging assumptions to change behaviour.
- Master the Art of Delegation and Gain 5–10 Hours a Week (5 min read) - Comaford, C, Forbes, 2016. Examines two processes to enhance delegation and decision-making for managers.
Other materials
- Delegation Skills presentation (PDF, 482 KB, 15 min view) - RCVS overview of delegation skills and a five-step approach to effective delegation.
- Delegating: Authority, Skills, Tasks, and Effective Delegation - BusinessBalls.com resource covering principles and approaches to delegation.
- Situational Leadership presentation (PDF, 299 KB, 10 min view) - introduction to Hersey and Blanchard’s Situational Leadership Model.