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After reading this article you will learn about the hindrances to delegation with its solution.
Hindrances to Delegation:
The hindrances to delegation are of two types:
(a) Organizational; and
(b) Personal.
(a) Organizational Hindrances:
(i) Lack of established methods and procedures—delegation is made easier if procedures and rules are well established;
(ii) Lack of means of coordination and communication;
(iii) Unstable and non-repetitive nature of work—stable and repetitive work affords a greater degree of delegation;
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(iv) Size and location of an organization—delegation becomes a necessity if organization is geographically spread.
(v) Lack of properly spelled-out positions in term of duties and authority.
(b) Personal Factors:
Personal factors which cause failure to delegate are many and may be summed up as egotism to keep power; to remain in limelight and to take credit for everything; fear of disloyalty on the part of subordinates; lack of confidence in the intelligence and technical competence of the associates; absence of emotional maturity in the chief; fear of accountability to high-ups, to the legislature or the people, absence of incentives for additional work-load etc.
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Pfiffner gives the following human causes of failure to delegate:
(i) Persons who rise to position of hierarchical leadership have more than normal egotism.
(ii) They are afraid that others will not make the proper decisions or carry them out in the desired manner.
(iii) They fear that disloyal or subversive power centres will develop among strong subordinates.
(iv) Strong, vigorous and highly motivated persons become impatient with the slower pace and indecisiveness of subordinates.
(v) In public administration, political considerations often make delegation difficult.
(vi) The cultural heritage of man has been one of authoritarian, patriarchal leadership; thus the practice of delegation is partly dependent on cultural change.
(vii) The act of delegation requires an emotional maturity which apparently is rare, even among successful persons.
(viii) The symbols of leadership (those personal qualities and traits which attract the attention of others) are inconsistent with the philosophy of delegation. Those striving to succeed must make themselves prominent.
(ix) Persons who desire to delegate do not know how.
(x) They do not know how far, for at least two reasons.
(1) The science of organisation and management is immature; and
(2) Their work experience has not taught them to delegate because most organisations fail to practice delegation.”
With all the above organizational and personal difficulties hindering delegation, no one can deny that delegation is a ‘must’ and that there is no way out except to remove, as far as possible these difficulties. As far as the organizational factors are concerned, much of the dilemma of delegation can be solved by establishing proper procedures and methods of work.
Each operating service should have an Organization Manual as also an Office Procedure Manual in which proper procedures and the responsibility and authority attached to each of the positions in the hierarchy should be fully described. Delegation, then, shall be more exact and specific. Proper means of coordination and communication should also be established to facilitate delegation.
As far the personal factors are concerned, not only training of the subordinates but also of the top executive should be emphasized. The subordinates should be trained in the art of properly using discretion within limits of the rules and the top executive in the habit of delegation.
It augurs well for our administration that delegation has become an honoured subject of discussion in our country. On the recommendations of O & M Division, the Central Government has already taken to ‘delegation’ in administration as a matter of policy.
The control of the Ministry of Finance over expenditure has been considerably reduced by the delegation of financial powers to various Ministries and departments.
Solution of Dilemma of Delegation:
Delegation of authority poses a problem. It is in fact a dilemma to retain the basic control in the hands of the Chief Executive while permitting the right kind and extent of delegation for the execution of details.
Following steps may help in the solution of this baffling administrative problem:
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(a) The supervisor should periodically visit the staff, discuss problems and suggest guidelines for tackling problems pertaining to policy or its operation.
(b) A systematic plan for reporting and reviewing operational records and documents may be devised. This may facilitate control. This will further enable the administrator to know what work is to be done by him personally and what can be entrusted to others.
(c) The reports of the subordinates containing specific information about performance, progress, results, new questions or problems and their solution should be appraised so that a review of the progress is made.
(d) Through inspections and adoption of survey procedures, the administrator should unmask areas of weaknesses requiring corrective action and suggest ways through which the functioning of the organisation is improved.
Thus it is evident that a proper plan of delegation visualizes a proper scrutiny for effecting improvement. However, certain general principles, for assessing the effectiveness of a system of delegation of authority may be specified.