Delegation is a critical skill. "Your most important task as a leader is to teach people how to think and ask the right questions so that the world doesn't go to hell if you take a day off," says Jeffrey Pfeffer, the Thomas D. Dee II Professor of Organizational Behavior at Stanford University's Graduate School of Business and author of What Were They Thinking?: Unconventional Wisdom About Management .. Delegation benefits managers, direct reports, and organizations. Yet it remains one of the most underutilized and underdeveloped management capabilities. A 2007 study on time management E found that close to half of the 332 companies surveyed were concerned about their employees' delegation skills. At the same time, only 28% of those companies offered any training on the topic. "Most people will tell you they are too busy to delegate - that it's more efficient for them to just do it themselves," says Carol Walker, the president of Prepared to Lead Ex, a consulting firm that focuses on developing young leaders. But both Walker and Pfeffer agree that it's time to drop the excuses. Your Assignment Discuss the following example to illustrate the application of the process of delegating: A supervisor of an electrical supply company has the following tasks that need to be accomplished by the end of the week, in addition to the regular day-to-day work. Given the list of tasks below, Read and consider what is being asked about the task. Ask the following questions related to the list below; . Which tasks would you delegate, and why? . What factors should the supervisor be aware of when delegating any of the tasks? Be sure to explain the factors and the reasons for your decisions for each. List of Tasks 1. Prepare a report summarizing damaged and returned merchandise. 2. Review personnel for promotion recommendations. There are 12 employees in the department. 3. Call all customers on the "active list" to let them know about the new business hours. The business day has been extended by an hour. The company wants these customers to know before it is advertised in the newspaper next week. 4. Develop the budget for office supplies and furniture for the next year. Your manager has told you an expansion of the business is being considered, so the budget should also include estimates for an expanded business