Public Cheaters

Online dictionaries define delegation as the handing of a task over to a subordinate.

Delegation is an important skill in management. Its advantages include the building of a manageable workload, the stress-free realization of organizational objectives and the creation of a professional development opportunity to a junior staff.

Even the International Association of Administrative Professionals recognizes the fine art of delegation as an important aspect of leadership, both in the private and public realms.

Unfortunately, despite its many positive effects, it is prone to abuse and misuse. And per observation, the prostitution of delegation is being practised more blatantly in the government service than in private corporations.

Let’s take for example a friend of mine who is a head of an office in a certain local government unit. May we just call him Frodo – well, no pun intended.

Frodo’s task is vital because it entails the monitoring of developments in the LGU. Such developments are essential to the different departments as their basis for actions, like responses to problems or approaches to impending societal setbacks.

Though the job’s daily grind must be personally handled by Frodo, he was given a few people to assist him; a staff to deal with some administrative and logistical functions.

The office was doing well – not great but good enough – until Frodo went delegation frenzy.

Examination of Development – off to staff A. Preparation of Report – off to staff B. Submission and Dissemination of Report – off to staff C.

Frodo is left with the profound tasks of snoring, loitering, snacking, gossiping and flirting with clients and co-employees.

Thus, Frodo’s office is bound to crumble due to incompetence and employee dissatisfaction. Incompetence develops because the delegations were made without clarity and beyond the competence of the staff members. And bitterness arises from the staff’s feeling of lack of recognition – because all merits go to Frodo despite his indolence.

Now that’s the devil of delegation.

When delegation is made to satisfy the sloth of heads of public offices, it brings more heat to the roaring hell of government service; it makes the quality of public service much, much more unbearable. Worse, it gives birth to more public cheaters in this already much cheated world.

Local leaders must then get rid of such dark delegation in their own local government units – that is, if they are not the lord of the ring of my friend, Frodo.