Delegation: Why we don’t need to do it all

Delegation is important for proper efficiency for any organization. In a series of three posts, I discuss why, when, and how to delegate. First up, why should we delegate tasks?

Why?

There are two main reasons to delegate: You and Them. A lot of ink is spent on the first, and that is the part that is easy to see. When you delegate, you free up your time and effort to focus on what you should focus on. If during your time audits and reviews, you find that menial or “easy” tasks are taking up most of your time or that you’re not applying yourself, then you’re simply doing busy work and you aren’t managing your time effectively. It may feel like you’re being productive, but what you are doing is being busy. Busy does not necessarily mean productive. In fact, it can be “procrastination in disguise.”

If you spend your time doing something that can be done by someone else, then you can’t spend time doing things that can only be done by you. Now those things aren’t getting done. Neither you nor the organization is coming out ahead on that approach.

However, what is often missed is that delegation can also be a clear sign that you trust and respect your teammates. Employees who feel trusted and respected have a higher level of commitment to their work, their organization, and yes, even their managers. By delegating – truly delegating – you are showing that you believe in them and trust them. Now you are getting more work out the door, and your people are more engaged. And what do engaged people do? More and better work! That is a virtual cycle.

That means the real question isn’t why should you delegate but rather why wouldn’t you?