them increased authority, challenge, and control over their work. There are two assumptions of effective delegation: The clearer the idea a subordinate has of what is to be done, the better the chances of its being done. The greater the sense of accomplishment a subordinate gets from a task, the greater the person’s motivation to do the task. The following four steps of effective delegation put the assumptions we have discussed into practice: Step 1. Identify the basic task that must be done and present the information to the person you have decided should do the task. Frequently, these tasks come from above in the chain of command, or they may be routine jobs you assign to a worker. In either case, your job is to gather information about the task and to pass it to the person you have delegated to do the job. Step 2. You and your subordinate agree on and set objectives to be accomplished to get the task done by some designated date and time. Step 3. You and your subordinate agree on a work plan, as well as plans for measuring progress and results.  Involving your subordinates in setting objectives and developing work plans is one way you can  increase  their  commitment  and  sense  of responsibility. Step 4. Give the subordinate the challenge and authority to achieve the objectives; however, you are responsible to your superiors for the results. In this step you must clearly communicate an understanding of the tasks. You must also communicate the nature of the reward or discipline that may result from whether or not the task is accomplished. Many of us fail in delegating authority. We fail not because  we  do  not  understand  the  principles  of delegation but because of our inability or unwillingness to apply the principles in practice. Much of the reason for our failures lies in our personal attitudes toward delegation. A leader who is able to effectively delegate has an open mind and is willing to give other people’s ideas a chance. Decision making always involves some discretion. This means a subordinate’s decision probably will not be exactly the same as the decision you would have made. To be an effective delegator, you must welcome subordinates’ ideas and praise them for their ingenuity. As a responsible Navy leader, you cannot sit back while a subordinate makes a mistake that might endanger the organization or the subordinate’s position in  the  Navy.  However,  continual  checking  on  a subordinate to make sure mistakes are never made makes  true  delegation  impossible.  We  all  make mistakes; therefore, allow your subordinates to have their share. You can help your subordinates avoid serious or repeated mistakes without hindering delegation or development of subordinates in several ways. You can counsel with them, ask leading questions, and carefully review objectives and policies. Closely allied with letting others make mistakes is trusting your subordinates. As a leader who delegates, you have no alternative but to trust your subordinates. Delegation in and of itself implies a trustful attitude. You may be tempted to put off delegation; you may think to yourself, subordinates are not well-enough seasoned, cannot handle people, have not developed judgment, or do not understand the facts of the situation as well as I do. These assumptions may sometimes be true. Then your duty is to train your subordinates or to select others who can assume delegated authority. Some people may be guilty of not delegating for one or more of the following reasons: They may not want to release their control over the job. They also may not know how to delegate wisely or know how to set up controls to assure proper use of their authority. Do not be guilty of not delegating for these reasons. MICROMANAGING Micromanaging is when you tell your workers how to do a job and then supervise every step rather than allowing their assigned supervisors to run things. Once you have delegated a task, let your subordinate do the job. Be available to give advice and instruction if needed; but unless your assistance is required, stay out of the way. General George S. Patton once said “Never tell people how to do things. Tell them what to do and they will surprise you with their ingenuity.” Micromanaging l e s s e n s   a subordinate’s self-confidence. It also sends a message to others that you do not trust the person to do the job properly. If you really feel this way, do not delegate the task. GIVING ORDERS You have no doubt heard the term followership. Leadership and followership are two sides of the same coin. Virtually everyone from the commander in chief 4-4