The Delegation Dilemma

By Frank Faeth, Senior Consultant, Crothers Consulting
Learning how to delegate is nothing short of an existential crisis for some leaders. It’s been interesting to witness how shifts in the workplace environment these last few years have forced leaders into releasing the reins on their teams, uncovering revelations that wouldn’t have necessarily happened otherwise. 

For example, one client had grown accustomed to visiting the firm’s offices around the world. Without the ability to travel regularly, the leader had no choice but to afford his teams more independence. The result was two-fold:

1) The team improved their customer service performance

2) In turn, the leader was able to focus more time on the bigger picture, instituting new customer service models and developing a deeper relationship with the company’s CIO

Being a leader is not about taking complete control. Giving up control is often (wrongly) equated with giving up leadership as well. True leadership means giving up a little of what we would like to hold onto (some measure of control) while keeping what we might prefer to give up (accountability). If that sounds a bit scary, how can you overcome your mindset and become a better delegator? Here are some tips:

1. Realize that you just can't do it all - Everyone has limits. If you fail to acknowledge yours, you will burnout. Maybe not tomorrow and maybe not even next year, but the stress and pressure of trying to do it all will get you eventually.

2. Start small - Delegation is a skill and learning it takes patience, persistence, and practice. Start by giving away small, uncomplicated tasks. As your confidence grows, so will your willingness to delegate more.

3. Recognize success - When you have had a few successful outcomes on tasks you have delegated, take time to appreciate the process. Think about the time you saved and how you spent that extra time working on other important projects.

4. Realize that "your way" is not always the "only way" - A big part of letting go is the fear that the task will not be done "right." The problem is that your "right" often means identical to you and fails to consider that there are other ways to achieve the same result.

5. Work on giving others the tools to do what you do - Delegation will only work if you help the other person succeed. So make sure he or she has the right resources and then keep communicating, participating and supporting the other.

Remember, delegation means not abdicating your responsibility, so you need to make sure you have done everything you can to influence a successful outcome. Appreciate others' accomplishments. You might be bored with organizing the annual Juggler's Conference and Exhibition, but if one of your employees has never done it, the challenge can be exciting, invigorating, and motivating.  The successful outcome is not just a well-organized conference. It's the opportunity for employees to get recognized for their achievements.

Use the leverage. Delegation can put the right people on the right tasks. And the better allocated your people are, the greater the productivity, effectiveness and the opportunity for organizational growth. Delegation, when done well, benefits everyone. You have more time to concentrate on the main responsibilities of your position. In turn, your employees have more opportunities to expand and enrich their jobs and enhance their performance.

​So, cast off your preconceptions about delegation. You were doing a good job before; you can do even better when you delegate more. With a fresh perspective and a little courage to "let go", you'll be amazed by what you can achieve.