Delegation of Duties and Responsibilities Is Necessary for the Well-Being and the Growth

well-being and the growth of any organization. It has been proven, To Delegate or Not throughout the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, that all entities To Delegate (Conferences, Councils, Committees, etc.) with leaders willing and able to spread the wealth of work have grown and prospered. The reverse holds true The President should see for those who do not share the to it that every member of The Spirit load. the Conference is given a Some of the duties and A series published by sufficient amount of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, responsibilities that should be Diocesan Council of Phoenix delegated are: coverage of calls to charitable work to The purpose of this series is to provide be taken; home visits to be made; perform, ensuring also members of the Society of St. Vincent de picking up of food allotments; that the various tasks are Paul advice from leadership throughout our maintaining the pantry; international organization to help members distributed evenly among grow in their vocation and ministry. If the recruitment of new members; reader has any questions regarding the ma- coordination of special programs the members and carried terial presented, he/she may inquire at like Christmas, back to school, out in the spirit of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul Society of food drives, Easter programs, major objectives of the Vincentian Support Services Conference social gatherings; P.O. Box 13600 St. Vincent de Paul Society. Phoenix. AZ 85002-3600 attendance at special events to (602) 261-6841 Diocesan Council represent the Conference. The list (U. S. Manual, page 58) does not end here! of Phoenix Conference Presidents, Council Presidents, Committee Chairs — all have a responsibility to keep their members involved. Delegation is a key to making this happen. When a Conference President someone something to do. Occasionally, someone will say, takes on the task of doing all that Delegation requires good “Yes, I’ll do it.” This is likely to needs to be done, some unhealthy leadership skills. be someone who is already busy things occur: There are five qualities of a with a lot of other projects. In  If people believe that the good leader. The leader must have many cases, the President will end job is already being done, a vision. In other words, the up telling the group to “think about they don’t have to do it. goal/task must be clearly defined it and we’ll talk some more at the This decreases initiative. in the leader’s own mind. The next meeting.” Then the President  If someone else is doing leader must be able to gets it started. the job, they lose communicate this vision to others An example of moderate Many Conference Presidents share ownership of the effort. In — not simply talk, but be delegation is to describe the task a common trait. They have a loss of ownership, there is understood. The leader must see and look around the room. The tendency to believe they must do also loss of support for the that others are empowered — they first person you make eye contact everything that needs to be done. effort. must take ownership of the goal as with is the one you offer the job to. They believe that by doing  If the President is doing well as the tasks that are necessary Then, don’t take “no” for an everything they are setting a good everything, almost no one to achieve the goal. The leader answer. The problem here is that example for others to follow. This will want to be the next must ensure that action takes place the one assigned is not necessarily will encourage others to just pitch President. — must get the process started. the one best suited for the task. in and help.  If the President is doing And last, the leader must be Strong delegation is the best Actually, the opposite is everything, he/she will get content to allow people to do method. In this form of true. Studies have shown that, in burned out pretty quickly. things their way. delegation, the President of the general, people will do only what  This can lead the President There are three degrees of Conference has taken the time to their leaders tell them to do. to feel like he/she is alone delegation: weak, moderate and get to know the members of the Occasionally you will find in this ministry. strong. An example of weak Conference. He understands what someone who will step up and join  Members will drop out due delegation is to simply throw the their strengths and weaknesses are in, but that is not the norm. People to a lack of things to do. issue/problem/task out to all and what type of tasks they are are very content to allow And, the list goes on and on. present and ask if someone would best suited for. The President also “someone else” to do the work. In like to take this on. The normal knows how to ask rather than fact, “someone else” is responsible The answer to this is delegation. result of this is that everyone looks command. for 95% of all work accomplished Delegation is more than just giving at everyone else hoping that Delegation of duties and in this world. “someone else” will step forward. responsibilities is necessary for the