Matching Job Tasks with The Right People
Keeping a record of all the skills your employees possess can make
matching job tasks to those who are capable of completing them much easier.
Before assigning tasks to those in your group, ask specific questions and record
the answers. Meet with individuals to get a better idea of their current
workload, tasks they are interested in completing, and ask about skills they
have that can be used on the project.
Once you have learned more about what each team member brings to the project,
assign tasks and provide any additional information team members need. If some
tasks are larger than others, assign two or more people to them. Some team
members may be assigned to work on two or three tasks for the project.
When assigning tasks, assign another team member to act as a consultant in case
additional help is needed. This way, team members can work together and rely on
each other. This will also ensure that each phase of a project is completed.
TAKING CHANCES
Even though you may know the members of your group well and have an
understanding of their skills level, assigning new tasks to those who may not
have as much experience in certain areas can benefit the group in the long run.
Employees should have the opportunity to learn new skills as this is what will
keep them excited about their careers. By taking chances, you are also showing
employees that you have faith in their work and that they are competent to learn
new skills.
Assigning a group member as a mentor to help another team member learn a new
skill is a way to ensure the task is completed correctly. While you can assign
mentors other tasks, they should be ready to answer questions and assist when
necessary.
As a leader you will need to adapt your delegation style according to the needs
of the team member. Someone who skilled and confident in a task needs little
guidance from their leader, whereas someone who is challenged by a task requires
more monitoring, feedback and coaching
BREAKING UP TASKS
Sometimes there will be project tasks that are too large to be handled by
one person. Breaking them up and giving them to two or more people is a great
way to encourage team members to work together. Keep in mind that you may need
to assign time limits to these tasks so others in the group can complete their
part. Monitor how well each task is progressing and assist when necessary.
WHEN TO INTERVENE
If you notice that a task is not being completed on time or in a manner that
meets project standards, you may need to provide the appropriate feedback to
better channel performance, add others to the task, or even reassign the task.
When this happens, it is important to act professionally and find ways to
correct the situation quickly.
As a project leader, it is up to you to determine the best course of action when
it comes to completing the project. Many times, adding additional help is all
that is needed to complete the task. If problems persist, you may need to take
the team member off the project completely and reassign them to another project.