delegare

Delegation, or delegare, is the process by which a person in a position of authority transfers responsibility and decision‑making power for a specific task to another individual, while retaining ultimate accountability for the outcome. It is a common practice in organizations to distribute work, develop staff, and increase organizational effectiveness.

Core elements of delegation include authority, responsibility, and accountability. Authority is the power to make decisions and allocate resources; responsibility is the obligation to perform the task; accountability is the obligation to report results and accept consequences. A task suitable for delegation is typically well defined, with clear objectives, scope, and deadlines. The recipient should have the necessary skills or capacity, and appropriate resources and boundaries must be established.

The delegation process generally involves several steps: identify tasks that can be handed off; select a capable person; define expected outcomes, standards, and deadlines; grant the necessary authority and resources; monitor progress and provide feedback; and review results to confirm completion and learning. Effective delegation relies on clear communication, trust, and ongoing support, as well as mechanisms to ensure alignment with organizational goals and quality standards.

Benefits of delegation include improved efficiency, staff development, increased engagement, and the ability for leaders to focus on higher‑level work. Risks include miscommunication, insufficient authority, mismatches between task and recipient, over‑delegation, under‑delegation, and loss of control, though accountability generally remains with the delegator.

In practice, delegation spans business management, project work, public administration, and nonprofit settings. Related concepts include empowerment, task assignment, abdication, and decentralization.