Delegation – Doing It Right

Delegation isn’t about offloading work.
It’s about multiplying your impact.

When done right, delegation builds trust, develops your team, and frees you up to focus on the work only you can do. When done poorly—or not at all—it leads to bottlenecks, burnout, and team disengagement.

Great managers don’t do everything themselves.
They build people who can.

Culture: Trust Is Built Through Responsibility

Delegating work isn’t just a task transfer—it’s a signal of trust. It shows you believe in your team’s ability to own, solve, and deliver. That kind of empowerment becomes contagious—and cultural.

At Google, managers are expected to push decisions down to the people closest to the work. The result? More autonomy, faster execution, and greater accountability across the board.

✅ Strategy: Delegate outcomes, not just tasks. Give people room to think, solve, and improve—not just execute.

Retention: Growth Comes from Ownership

People don’t grow when they’re told what to do. They grow when they’re given space to lead.

Indra Nooyi often credited her success to managers who gave her responsibility before she thought she was ready. That trust pushed her to rise—and she passed it on as a leader by giving her own teams room to stretch.

✅ Strategy: Look for stretch opportunities. Let people take on something bigger—with your support.

Productivity: Stop Being the Bottleneck

If everything flows through you, progress stalls. Delegation frees up time, improves focus, and allows managers to work on the business instead of constantly working in it.

✅ Strategy: Start by identifying tasks only you can do. Delegate the rest to build capacity across the team.

How to Delegate Well

✅ Match tasks with the right skill level and interest
✅ Set clear expectations—but not rigid instructions
✅ Check in without micromanaging
✅ Debrief—review outcomes, coach, and refine

Don’t:
❌ Hold on to work because “it’s faster if I do it”
❌ Delegate only the things you don’t like
❌ Walk away completely—support without taking back control

Delegation is leadership.
Do it right, and everyone gets better.