The self-defeating refusal to delegate work isn’t usually one that occurs suddenly. Rather, it happens over time. That might sound surprising, but as responsibilities, tasks or the number of important projects creep upward—and creep is the magic word here—managers often just add them to their many plates that are already spinning. But without delegation, over time, some of those plates are bound to crash and shatter. The culprits are twofold.
First, the slow increase of work fools us into thinking we can take on the extra pressure. It’s just one more thing to do, right? That’s how it might feel in the moment. But it’s rarely just one more responsibility, which leads us to the second problem: failure to acknowledge our need to depend on our team for support. Relying on your team isn’t a weakness; it isn’t a crutch. It’s where productive power starts and ends.
So, without further ado, here are the top three ways delegation can benefit you right now.
3 Ways Delegation Can Benefit You
Delegation helps prevent burnout, not only for you but also for your team. You can’t do it all, but if you try, the stress it causes will eventually catch up with you. That means your work will start to suffer. You’ll start missing important details, for example. And sitting idly by, your team will begin feeling frustration over the lack of space they have to contribute to their own success. However, reversing this scenario and allowing your team to show up will ease pressure from your shoulders and give them the opportunity to see and feel success at their own hands
Delegation frees up time, and freeing up time paves the way for creative problem solving. Simply put, delegation creates space. We’re talking about space in your schedule and space for your mind to recharge. The result is that when problems do arise, and we all know they will, you’ll have the mental capacity to process the situations and resolve them more quickly and painlessly.
Delegation grants you the opportunity to shift focus and work on developing leaders. This plays out in a number of ways, including giving more energy to deepen individual accountability, ensuring your team has the tools they need to accomplish their objectives, and identifying clear actions so that everyone understands their authority to make decisions.
In the end, the simple truth of the matter is that all this translates to increased productivity in a much more sustainable and satisfying way. You’ll thank yourself for initiating responsible delegation, and your team will too.
Want to learn more about how delegation can transform your team? Click here.
