Andy Erickson
Get them talking What do you say when assigning work to someone?  How do you make sure they understand your instructions?
Keep them talking Do you ever have situations where you thought someone understood what you wanted them to do… but they didn’t?  What happened? It’s one thing to tell someone what you need done and by when – it’s something else to get them to commit to doing it!  How do you get people to “put their ass on the line” when assigning work? Who assigns work to you?  What do they do right… and what would you have them do differently?
Points to consider “Tell them what, ask them how” is a useful approach.  Tell the person what you want them to do, but make them tell you how they will do it.  This is a great way to make sure they have a plan and the necessary knowledge. It’s useful to ask questions when assigning work: when was the last time you did this?  What safety and quality issues do you need to look out for?  Do you have the tools and materials you’ll need?  Who will you contract if you need help? It’s important to sent clear expectations for when a task will be done and make sure the person will do the job safely.  Say something like, “How much time do you need to do this?  Ok…  I’ll plan on you being done by then, but remember, your safety is more important than this task, so don’t rush or cut corners!”
Learn more Seven Guidelines to Delegating Tasks