When leaders delegate work, there is an art to letting go. Done well, it is beneficial for everyone: it empowers others to make decisions—shifting authority from the leader to a colleague or employee; and it relieves leaders to focus on other priorities. Unfortunately, I have seen some leaders misunderstand the true nature of delegation.
Delegation is a strategic tool used by wise leaders to make the most of available manpower to clear tough obstacles. But when leaders delegate assignments and then wash their hands of all responsibility, everyone suffers. This abdication is not what delegation is about.
An organization still holds the leader responsible, regardless of whose hands actually performed the work. Leaders who try to dodge responsibility by pitching work to others, soon experience a myriad of negative consequences, including distrust and.
Let Go of Control
Most delegation hesitancy lands on the other side of the control spectrum, where leaders are not willing to let go of control. I like how Jesse Sostrin, PhD, describes this in HBR: overextension fuels an instinctive reaction to “protect” work. Leaders who keep the workload to themselves often believe that somehow the delegation of work reduces their importance, or at least how superiors perceive it.
Ironically, delegating work puts a leader’s control into action with decision-making, task coordination and goal achievement. The more that leaders reserve work for themselves, the less that work is actually accomplished. This doesn’t reflect well on a leader’s state of control. Leaders who can break their control-clutching behavior are better equipped to delegate.
Another control-related reason I see leaders choose not to delegate is the perceived time and effort needed to train an employee or bring them up to speed. I hear this mindset in phrases like, “it’s quicker if I do it myself,” or “training is not my field of expertise.” But if we dig a little deeper, we can often find that it feels too much like a sacrifice of control.
What do you think? How do you manage letting go in the art of delegation? I’d love to hear from you. You can call me at 561-582-6060, let’s talk. And as always, I can be reached here, or on LinkedIn.
