5 Delegation: Learn to let go

 

This chapter covers

  • Differentiating among delegation, allocation, and substitution
  • Understanding the when, why, what, who, and how of delegation
  • Creating a framework for delegation
  • Teaching delegation to others
  • Knowing what to do when delegation goes wrong
Don’t be a bottleneck. If a matter is not a decision for the president or you, delegate it. Force responsibility down and out. Find problem areas, add structure, and delegate. The pressure is to do the reverse. Resist it.
—Donald Rumsfeld, former U.S. Secretary of Defense

It’s Monday morning, and you’re gearing up for a busy week when, on top of everything else, an urgent email lands in your inbox, requesting a new operational dashboard. With deadlines looming and performance reviews on the agenda, you’re feeling stretched thin.

Delegation comes to your rescue. Delegation is the key to managing overwhelming tasks. By entrusting responsibilities to others, you can alleviate pressure and foster team collaboration. Effective delegation involves trusting others’ abilities, removing bottlenecks, promoting communication, and looking at the bigger picture (systems thinking). It’s not about passing off work arbitrarily, but about empowering others to contribute meaningfully.

5.1 The art of delegation

5.1.1 Avoid the do-it-yourself attitude

5.1.2 Don’t be the sole knowledge bearer

5.2 Delegation vs. allocation vs. substitution

5.2.1 Delegation vs. allocation

5.2.2 Delegation vs. substitution

5.3 The when, why, what, who, and how of delegation

5.3.1 When and why to delegate

5.3.2 What task to delegate

5.3.3 Whom to delegate to

5.3.4 How to delegate and support

5.4 Framework for delegation

5.4.1 Supporting delegation

5.4.2 Tracking delegation

5.5 Teaching delegation to others

5.6 When delegation goes wrong

5.7 Stop and think: Practice questions

Summary