The action of delegating consists of granting another person a specific responsibility. This implies that there are two subjects involved in said action: a delegate who acts as someone’s representative and the person who decides to cede the obligation or responsibility of him, that is, who delegates.
It is delegated to another person because they are trusted or because it is useful to do so or as a test to know the capacity of the other.
The action of delegating in organizations and in the business environment
Organizations of a certain size typically have a hierarchical structure. In most of them it is quite common to act by delegation. Thus, if the president of an entity cannot temporarily exercise his functions, he must delegate to the vice president. Something very similar happens in the business world and when a person in charge cannot assume his powers, he can delegate it to someone who is qualified to do so.
In any human group there is a need to delegate. In fact, in the army, action is taken by delegation, since a high official gives an order and it is carried out successively at the different military scales.
In general, it is considered that delegating to other people is absolutely necessary, otherwise an organization loses efficiency when it comes to solving problems that may arise.
Delegate in the educational process
In the traditional school the teacher teaches and sets guidelines and the students are simple recipients of the information and have no other responsibility. In the most innovative educational approaches, attempts are made to delegate certain responsibilities to the students.
For example, students with more abilities can help those who have difficulties to learn and for this to be possible the teacher must have partially delegated his responsibility.
Delegate in the individual training of children
In the formation of children it is also important that they gradually assume certain responsibilities. For this to be possible, their parents must delegate to their children, that is, they have to grant them a certain autonomy when deciding on some issues. For example, it can be positive that parents delegate to their children things like keeping order in their room and some daily tasks (walking the dog or throwing out the garbage). The purpose of delegating certain actions is educational and formative.
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