Most managers see delegating work as a necessary evil. But a large part of that is because they go about it all wrong.

When it comes to delegating work, the most important thing should be the finished product — not the steps it takes the person doing the work to get there.

Many managers assume the person they’ve handed off work to will go about the assignment in the same exact manner they themselves would. So if that doesn’t happen, they think there’s a problem or that they’ve made a mistake with the person they’ve selected.

Managers that excel at delegating work understand that everyone has their own way of doing things — and can always spot the employees that are up to the task. It doesn’t matter how the person got the job done, as long as the finished product is up to snuff.

Key: It’s vital for managers to clearly identify exactly what the end result of the project should be and when it needs to be done by. Follow-up is important — but not so often that it appears that you’re micromanaging the person.

Tags: Assignment, Delegating work, Delegation, Micromanaging