If someone is stuck doing too much of the wrong work and missing the impact they could have as a strategic, empowering leader, get unstuck with these delegation skills for leaders.
DELEGATE TO ELEVATE: How High-Performing Leaders Reclaim Time & Drive Results
If you’re leading a team, but buried in day-to-day tasks—you already know the pressure.
You’ve got to keep operations moving AND think big picture.
You’re managing people AND expected to grow the business.
But the problem is… you can’t do it all, and you shouldn’t.
It’s time to delegate.
Not because the work isn’t important—
But because it’s not all yours to carry anymore.
Not because you “don’t feel like doing the work” anymore –
But because you have to focus on different work going forward.
Delegation must happen to maximize team performance.
Two Signs It’s Time to Delegate
1. You don’t have time to lead and manage well.
If you’re not spending time coaching, building trust, or growing the team individually and collectively, if you’re not driving better performance consistently among your team—you’re leading or managing well, limiting not only your impact and success, but negatively affecting the trajectory of your team, too. I know you don’t want that. I don’t want that for you either! If you don’t have time to lead and manage well, it might be time to delegate.
2. You don’t have space to think strategically.
If your calendar is so full you can’t step back to solve higher-level problems, drive innovation, or cast vision, it’s time to make room for what only YOU can do. It’s time to make room for what you were hired or promoted to do – to lead. If you are in a management position, especially beyond front-line leadership, if you don’t have space to think strategically, it might be time to delegate.
What Delegation Is Not…
- Laziness
- Dumping work
- Ignoring your team’s bandwidth
People will know if you hand off work just to clear your plate. They feel it. They’ll smell it, like a bloodhound on the scent. Morale will drop, trust will erode, and accountability and ownership will disappear.
If you’re considering delegating because you’re being lazy, dumping work, and/or ignoring your team’s bandwidth, it’s likely not the time to delegate. Rather, it’s time for you to level up. It feels harsh, and there are particular next steps, but that’s a conversation for another time, another blog.
Delegation “To-Dos”
So, how do you get started delegating? Use this quick-start delegation framework to get going…
- Clarify your highest-value work: What must stay on your plate—and why?
- Assess your tasks: What’s tactical vs. strategic?
- Assess your team: Who’s great at what? Who has the bandwidth?
- Share the ‘why’ collectively: “I need your help to make space for a strategic project that moves us all forward.”
- Make it a ‘we’ thing: Delegation isn’t dumping—it’s about growing together.
- Ask about capacity: “What % of your capacity are you using right now—honestly?”
- Empower, don’t just assign: Give the authority, not just the task.
- Be clear: What’s the task, when’s it due, what does success look like?
- Check in (and ask for feedback): Stay connected without micromanaging. Ask how it’s going. Adjust if needed.
For more helpful leadership ideas, check out our other blog posts. Sign up for the blog and get a bonus gift.
The Truth ABOUT DELEGATION SKILLS FOR LEADERS
Delegation is a leadership SKILL. Delegation is not just something leaders should do. Instead, if you’re in a growing organization, it’s something every great leader must do.
Delegation is a skill that requires intentionality, practice, trust-building, and feedback to do well.
The higher you rise in an organization, the more critical delegation becomes.
A great leader’s goal isn’t just to get things done, it’s to grow your team and increase your impact.
Ready to lead better? Start here. Start now. Delegate to elevate.
Rooting for you always!
~ Alyson
IMPORTANT:
DO NOT CONFUSE DELEGATION WITH EMPOWERMENT
- Delegate – For the benefit of you and the organization.
- Empower – For the benefit of your team member and the organization.
Download Our Ultimate Guide to Empowerment Now
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