Delegation gets a bad rap. Mostly because so many of us stink at it. (Hey, just calling it like I see it!)
You know what I see? Leaders who are completely overwhelmed, possibly resentful, and still holding on to the work because they think it’s “just quicker” to do it themselves.
If that sounds familiar, you’re not alone. But let’s not pretend it’s working to your advantage.
To be fair, sometimes it IS quicker to do it yourself than to spend the time explaining what you want, answering ALL the questions, (or stressing out that there weren’t ANY questions), making sure it’s getting done, and “risking” that the results will be different than if you had done it yourself. (From one who is super particular – I hear you!)
The challenge is, if you don’t delegate…
- You get buried in execution, to the point of exhaustion
- You become the bottleneck
- You block growth opportunities for your team
- You deny people the chance to use their skillset and brains
- You don’t operate at your level – by default the work requires you to reach down vs. up
- You get frustrated that you’re not leading the way you want to
- You (may) appear to others as out of your depth, disorganized, or derailing (here’s where I tell you again that I love alliteration!)
And that’s just the downsides for you!
Let’s talk about your team. They are now underutilized and disengaged. They miss out on opportunities for growth. They don’t get a chance to showcase their skill sets and use their brains. They get resentful. They begin to assume you’ll just always pick up the slack, so why bother trying?
Delegation is not about handing off tasks and hoping for the best. It’s a skill. A strategic, intentional act that requires planning, communication, and trust. It’s also one of the best ways to expand your impact without expending unnecessary energy.
Here’s what ineffective delegation usually looks like:
- Assigning a task with vague instructions and then wondering why it wasn’t done “right”
- Expecting people to meet your standards without actually defining what those are
- Handing someone the deliverable but not the context or reasoning behind it
- Sending an assignment at 4:58pm and expecting it to be polished by morning
- Quietly stewing when it isn’t done your way, then “fixing” it yourself at midnight
Sound familiar? (And no judgment if it does… I’ve been there too.)
Now contrast that with intentional delegation. That sounds like:
- “This is yours to lead. Here’s why it matters and how success will be measured. I’ll check in, but you own it.”
- “You might run into challenges. That’s part of the process. I’m here to support you. Let me know what questions you have along the way.”
- “Let’s align on what ‘done’ looks like before you start, so we’re not circling back five times later.”
Does it take more time up front? Yup.
Does it pay you back in time, trust, and actual team development? Hell, yes!
Delegation done well builds:
- Capacity. You stop being the single point of failure.
- Clarity. Everyone knows what they’re doing and why.
- Capability. Your team stretches, learns, and levels up.
- Culture. People feel empowered.
If you’re always the busiest person on your team, ask yourself whether that’s because no one else can handle the work, or because you haven’t made space for them to try.
Your call to action:
- Pick one task you are holding onto, even though you know someone else could run with it.
- Identify someone ready for the stretch.
- Give them the full picture, including context, deliverables, deadlines, and how you can support them.
- Agree on milestones and check-in points.
- Step back and get out of the way.
- Coach. Don’t rescue.
Leadership isn’t about doing it all. It’s about creating an environment where everyone has the opportunity to grow and flourish, and you plug people into tasks and projects that align with their skills, interests, and job responsibilities. And you get to breathe a little easier.
So let go. Just a little. Lather. Rinse. Repeat.
Your future self (the one with a reasonable calendar and a thriving team) will thank you.
