Delegation and Empowerment are management tools that are important for top managers. These are the concepts of management used by the leaders and managers for proper achievement of specific goals and tasks of the organization or institute. Delegation and Empowerment both deal with the employee management but are different from each other. Delegation refers to the employee management by allocating tasks and duties to each individual employee and specifying them what to do and when to do. While on the other hand Empowerment is also the tool of management in which the managers achieve the goals of organization by empowering the employees to have the decision making power and thus making the employees accountable and responsible. Both of the techniques are being employed in different organizations depending upon the attitude of organization and concerned managers / heads. Some of the managers adopt Delegation over Empowerment as they have the fear to lose the authority and power.
What is Delegation?
Delegation refers to the employee management by allocating tasks and duties to each individual employee and specifying them what to do and when to do. To delegate means to nominate or choose someone for being the representative for others. Delegation produces followers. In Delegation the employees are totally dependent upon the manager or leader for each and every act and thus don’t have much boost in their confidence. In Delegation only the leader or manager is responsible for each and every good or bad.
What is Empowerment?
Empowerment is also the tool of management in which the managers achieve the goals of organization by empowering the employees to have the decision making power and thus making the employees accountable and responsible. To empower means to give your powers and authority to somebody else. Empowerment produces leaders largely. Empowerment enhances the confidence level of the employees. In Empowerment, all of the power shareholders are responsible for each & every good or bad.
Key Differences between Delegation and Empowerment
- Delegation refers to the employee management by allocating tasks and duties to each individual employee and specifying them what to do and when to do. While on the other hand Empowerment is also the tool of management in which the managers achieve the goals of organization by empowering the employees to have the decision making power and thus making the employees accountable and responsible.
- As a Manager or leader, Empowerment is more work for you in the short run while Delegation is less work for you in the short run.
- As a Manager or leader, Empowerment is less work for you in the long run while Delegation is more work for you in the long run.
- While adopting the strategy of Delegation, you find yourself in the center of leadership activity while in case of Empowerment someone else is at the center of leadership activity.
- Empowerment produces leaders largely while on the other hand Delegation produces followers.
- To delegate means to nominate or choose someone for being the representative for others. While, to empower means to give your powers and authority to somebody else.
- Some of the managers adopt Delegation over Empowerment as they have the fear to lose the authority and power.
- In Delegation, Power or authority remains in a single hand while in Empowerment the power or authority is divided among employees of the organization.
- In Delegation only the leader or manager is responsible for each and every good or bad while in Empowerment, all of the power shareholders are responsible for each & every good or bad.
- Empowerment enhances the confidence level of the employees but in Delegation the employees are totally dependent upon the manager or leader for each and every act and thus don’t have much boost in their confidence.
- Defined expectations are required in Delegation but in Empowerment.
- Shared values and shared power is required in Empowerment but lacks in the case of Delegation.
- As an employee, you may utilize your own common sense in case of Empowerment but not in the case of Delegation.