The art of letting go: how to delegate effectively
Have you ever held onto tasks because:
You know how you want them done
It’s quicker and easier to do them yourself
Your team is too busy
You’re worried about becoming expendable if you’re not completing them yourself?
Holding onto tasks can often seem like the easy or even the more noble solution when things get busy, but in the long term, it’s a little like treading water – it may be keeping you afloat, but not necessarily moving you towards your (and your team’s) big-picture goals. Not only that, taking on too much work can lead to burnout and feelings of overwhelm when your to-do list isn’t getting any shorter.
The best leaders recognise that they can’t (and shouldn’t!) do it all. The role of a leader is to keep a team moving in the right direction, and delegation is a key skill to do this for two reasons.
1. It frees up your time to focus on high-value tasks
2. It demonstrates trust in your team and a commitment to their professional development
Here’s how you can take control of your prioritise and delegate to your team effectively.
Step 1: Prioritise
The first step to effective delegation is prioritising your tasks. Take a look at the framework below which shapes how you prioritise your workload as more than just a checklist of to-dos. Instead it gives structure to your decision-making process, allowing you to focus on what’s important for you to do, and reflect on what can be handled by someone else.
Top tip: don’t confuse urgent with important. Important tasks are high-value activities that you need to do to keep moving towards your bigger-picture goals.
STEP 2: Let go
When it comes time to delegate, understand it is a process that includes learning to let go, and supporting your team as they complete the tasks. Here are some tips that will help.
1. Delegate to the right people: Be aware of the different skill sets within your team, and delegate tasks that play to their strengths, motivations and professional goals. Before delegating, review what your team is working on to reprioritise and allocate tasks based on workload.
2. Communication is key: Be open with your team members about the task and why you have chosen to delegate it to them to help them understand its importance. Clearly communicate what is needed as the final outcome, making yourself available for guidance and feedback along the way.
3. Be patient: It might be quicker and easier for you to complete a task yourself but remember the more you delegate, the faster your team will become as they get familiar with tasks and feel trusted to complete them.
4. Practice makes perfect: Even with the best intentions, you may find it hard to start delegating effectively straight away, especially when it means making someone else responsible for important work. Start small and work your way up to bigger projects as you feel more comfortable. Delegation is a skill, and the more you practice the better you’ll get.
