Why leaders need to learn to delegate

In a recent workshop, I was discussing how leaders can build trust up, down, and across their organization.

I asked the group if they have a professional relationship that lacks trust.

One of the leaders in the session said, “I lack trust with my direct reports. I don’t trust that if I delegate a task to them that it will be done properly. So, I just do it myself.”

Now, if I had a dollar for every time that I have heard this statement over the last 20 years, I’d be a very billionaire!

My response to this leader might surprise you.

I said to her, “It’s not trust that you lack with your team, it’s actually delegation skills.”

She looked at me with curiosity and a furrowed brow. I could tell that she had no idea what I meant.

So, let me share with you, as I did with this group, what I meant by this statement.

You see, most leaders are not taught to delegate properly. So, they don’t delegate at all or they delegate poorly and then are dissatisfied with the results that they receive from their team.

Delegation is a skill that every leader needs to learn.

If you delegate properly, you will free yourself up to do all the strategic tasks that you should be focusing on.

So, my questions for you are as follows:

• What’s on your to-do list right now that you should NOT be doing?
• Who is the best person on your team that can take over the task?
• What can you do to delegate properly to this person so that they do a good job taking over the task?

I’m sure you hire smart people.

I’m sure they have would be delighted to do more interesting work.

Give them the opportunity.

By delegating properly, you’ll actually be building trust with your team!