Leaders and Delegation

In my 20+ years as a Superintendent/CEO the number 1 concern – especially in the first 2/3rds of that journey – was that I wasn’t delegating enough. I struggled to differentiate the work that I should keep on my plate and shoulders and the work that others could and should do. My organization grew exponentially across my time of leadership – from 12 – 15 employees in the first year to over 700 the year I retired. The role and need for delegation also grew exponentially across that time.

The impacts of not delegating well are many: you burn yourself out, you eat up your limited

time which then can’t be spent on vision/mission and strategic planning, you send a message to others in your organization that they are not capable or to be trusted, you company is spending more to pay you as CEO to do this lower level work when they could be paying a lower paid employee who, in fact, wants and needs the opportunity to grow their own skillset and confidence. Ultimately, of course, all of this limits your success as a leader.

Elsbeth Johnson, in a recent Harvard Business Review article, suggests that as leaders we ask ourselves “Am I the best and cheapest person to get this done?” If the answer is no, then delegate the work and give the person or persons you delegate to the ‘why’ or context, knowledge, and necessary resources - as well as the clarity of your expectations - that they need to succeed.

Some strategies that Johnson suggests to overcome our reticence to delegate include:

• Recognize that you may miss the dopamine hit of marking things off your to-do list and ‘getting stuff done’

• Put routines in place that make managing and delegating easier; including asking questions of your people and teams that helps you understand how they might contribute

• Remind yourself that this is an opportunity for members of your team to shine

• Teach with examples, not answers (this is harder for some of us!)

• Establish accountability and support (rather than getting pulled back into the work)

• Recognize your limits - there is only so much work you can personally produce

• Spread the mindset: help other managers and mid-level managers to also delegate well

Finally, be patient: It will take time for you to change and for your people to understand and appreciate the change.

“However, effective delegation is one of the most important skills for any leader to learn. If you stick with it, you’ll get so much more out of your team members - and yourself”. ~ Elsbeth Johnson, HBR