Encouraging Initiative Through Effective Delegation

"I'll delegate when I find good people." Translation: "I'll trust them after they prove themselves." Plot twist: They can't prove themselves until you trust them. Break the loop. Delegate to develop. Here's how: 1️⃣ What should you delegate? Everything. Not a joke. You need to design yourself completely out of your old job. Set your sights lower and you'll delegate WAY less than you should. But don't freak out: Responsibly delegating this way will take months. 2️⃣ Set Expectations w/ Your Boss The biggest wild card when delegating: Your boss.  Perfection isn't the target. Command is.  - Must-dos: handled  - Who you're stretching   - Mistakes you anticipate   - How you'll address Remember: You're actually managing your boss. 3️⃣ Set Expectations w/ Yourself  Your team will not do it your way.  So you have a choice: - Waste a ton of time trying to make them you?   - Empower them to creatively do it better?  Remember: 5 people at 80% = 400%. 4️⃣ Triage Your Reality - If you have to hang onto something -> do it.  - If you feel guilty delegating a miserable task -> delete it.  - If you can't delegate them anything -> you have a bigger problem. 5️⃣ Delegate for Your Development  You must create space to grow. Start here:   1) Anything partially delegated -> Completion achieves clarity.  2) Where you add the least value -> Your grind is their growth.  3) The routine -> Ripe for a runbook or automation. 6️⃣ Delegate for Their Development Start with the stretch each employee needs to excel. Easiest place to start: ask them how they want to grow. People usually know. And they'll feel agency over their own mastery. Bonus: Challenge them to find & take that work. Virtuous cycle. 7️⃣ Set Expectations w/ Your Team  Good delegation is more than assigning tasks:  - It's goal-oriented  - It's written down  - It's intentional When you assign "Whys" instead of "Whats", You get Results instead of "Buts". 8️⃣ Climb The Ladder Aim for the step that makes you uncomfortable:     - Steps over Tasks  - Processes over Steps  - Responsibilities over Processes  - Goals over Responsibilities   - Jobs over Goals  Each rung is higher leverage. 9️⃣ Don't Undo Good Work Delegating & walking away - You need to trust. But you also need to verify. - Metrics & surveys are a good starting point. Micromanaging - That's your insecurity, not their effort. - Your new job is to enable, motivate & assess, not step in. ✅ Remember: You're not just delegating tasks. - You're delegating goals. - You're delegating growth. - You're delegating greatness. The best time to start was months ago.  The next best time is today. 🔔 Follow Dave Kline for more posts like this. ♻️ And repost to help those leaders who need to delegate more.

Leaders: forget the idea of being “hands-on.” Freedom makes teams perform better. Delegation inspires confidence. It fosters growth. It unlocks team potential. Done right, it is a tool any leader can use to build thriving, autonomous teams. Here’s 9 ways to revolutionize your leadership by delegating with trust: 1/ Clarify Expectations: Set the Stage for Success → Define goals, deadlines, and outcomes clearly upfront. → Ensure team members understand the “why” behind tasks. 💡 Leaders: Use one-on-one meetings to align priorities and confirm understanding. 2/ Choose the Right Person: Match Tasks to Strengths → Assign tasks based on skills, interests, and growth potential. → Avoid overloading the same high-performers repeatedly. 💡 Leaders: Map team members’ strengths to projects to boost engagement and results. 3/ Grant Autonomy: Let Go of Micromanaging → Give freedom to decide how the work gets done. → Resist the urge to hover or dictate every step. 💡 Leaders: Set check-in points for progress updates, not to control the process. 4/ Provide Resources: Equip for Success → Ensure access to tools, information, and support needed. → Remove roadblocks that could derail progress. 💡 Leaders: Ask, “What do you need to succeed?” and act on the answers. 5/ Encourage Questions: Foster Open Communication → Create a safe space for team members to seek clarification. → Reward curiosity to build confidence in decision-making. 💡 Leaders: Model vulnerability by admitting when you don’t know something. 6/ Accept Mistakes: Turn Errors into Learning → View missteps as opportunities for growth, not failure. → Provide constructive feedback without blame. 💡 Leaders: Share a past mistake you made and how it shaped your growth. 7/ Recognize Efforts: Celebrate Wins, Big and Small → Acknowledge contributions to reinforce trust and motivation. → Publicly praise specific actions to inspire others. 💡 Leaders: Send a quick thank-you note or shout-out in team meetings. 8/ Build Accountability: Empower Ownership → Encourage team members to take responsibility for outcomes. → Avoid swooping in to “fix” things unless absolutely necessary. 💡 Leaders: Ask, “What’s your plan to move this forward?” to promote initiative. 9/ Reflect and Refine: Improve Delegation Over Time → Seek feedback on your delegation approach from the team. → Adjust based on what works and what doesn’t. 💡 Leaders: Hold quarterly reviews to discuss delegation experiences and optimize. Delegating with trust redefines leadership by blending empowerment with accountability. Start leveraging these strategies to transform your team into a powerhouse of independence and impact. Which one of these delegation techniques works best for you? Comment below! ♻️ Repost if your network needs these reminders. Follow Carolyn Healey for more leadership insights.

Leading 100s of engineers taught me one crucial lesson: Delegation is vital. Trying to do everything yourself isn’t leadership, it’s a bottleneck. It slows progress, frustrates your team, and limits innovation. Effective delegation not only lightens your load but also empowers your team, improving engagement and building autonomy. Delegation Poker is a great way to create the right culture. How It Works: 1️⃣ Step 1: Sit down with your team and identify key decisions that need clarity. 2️⃣ Step 2: Each team member thinks about how much control the leader or team should have,  then picks a number from 1-7 to match the appropriate level of delegation. (All team members should reveal their cards at the same time) The Levels: 1: Leader Decides. The leader makes the call. Example: “This is my call. Here’s the plan.” 2: Leader Decides and Explains. The leader decides and shares their reasoning. Example: “Here’s my decision and why it’s best.” 3: Team Decides Together. Leader and team collaborate. Example: “Let’s explore options and choose together.” 4: Leader’s Input, Team’s Decision. The leader advises; the team decides. Example: “Here’s my take, but it’s your call.” 5: Team Decides, Informs Leader. The team decides; the leader stays updated. Example: “I trust you. Just let me know.” 6: Team Decides, Leader is There to Help. The team owns it; the leader supports if asked. Example: “It’s yours. Reach out if needed.” 7: Team Owns It. The team has full autonomy. Example: “This is yours. I trust you.” Once everyone agrees on the level,  they follow through with the decision-making process. Happy Delegating! ________________ ♻️ Share this with your network  ➕ Follow me, Suren Samarchyan, for more on leadership

𝗟𝗲𝘁’𝘀 𝘁𝗮𝗹𝗸 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗱𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗴𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻—the one leadership skill that separates overwhelmed managers from inspiring leaders. 𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗲’𝘀 𝗮 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗺𝘆 𝗰𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁 (𝗹𝗲𝘁’𝘀 𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗵𝗶𝗺 𝗠𝗶𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗲𝗹). Michael was a technical genius. His team relied on him for everything. 𝗕𝘂𝘁 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲’𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗯𝗹𝗲𝗺: • He worked late nights fixing others’ mistakes.    • He micromanaged because no one could match his standards.    • And worst of all, he was overwhelmed and stuck. Then, one day, Michael’s colleague—less technically skilled but a master delegator—got promoted. 𝗠𝗶𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗲𝗹 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱𝗻’𝘁 𝗯𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗲𝘃𝗲 𝗶𝘁. “How could they promote him over me?” he asked me in our coaching session. Why Experts Struggle to Delegate? 𝗠𝗶𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗲𝗹 𝗳𝗲𝗹𝗹 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝗮 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗽: • “If I want it done right, I have to do it myself.” • “Teaching others will take too much time.” • “No one else understands this as deeply as I do.” 𝗕𝘂𝘁 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲’𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆: Being a technical expert doesn’t make you a great leader—knowing how to empower others does. 𝟱 𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗽𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗠𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗗𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗴𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 • 𝗣𝗶𝗰𝗸 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗥𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗧𝗮𝘀𝗸𝘀: Focus on what only you can do. Delegate the rest.    • 𝗖𝗵𝗼𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗥𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗣𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻: Match tasks to team members’ strengths and growth areas.    • 𝗦𝗲𝘁 𝗖𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀: Explain the ‘what’ and the ‘why’—let them figure out the ‘how.’    • 𝗘𝗺𝗽𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿, 𝗗𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝗠𝗶𝗰𝗿𝗼𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲: Give autonomy but stay available for support.    • 𝗙𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄 𝗨𝗽 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆: Provide constructive feedback and celebrate progress. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗲: What If Quality Suffers? 𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗲’𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗮𝗰𝗵: • Treat mistakes as learning opportunities. • Use feedback to guide, not criticize. • Understand that delegation is an investment in your team’s growth. 𝗧𝗵𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵 𝗰𝗼𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴, Michael mastered delegation by: Rewiring Beliefs: He shifted from “I need to control everything” to “I’m growing leaders.” Building Trust: He learned how to trust his team and let them own their work. Strategic Leadership: He focused on vision, not execution. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗢𝘂𝘁𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲 Within six months, Michael’s team was thriving, his workload was lighter, and he finally got the promotion he had been chasing for years. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗟𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗼𝗻 • Delegation isn’t just about offloading tasks. • It’s about building a team that can thrive without you. • If you want to grow as a leader, you need to let go. 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗧𝘂𝗿𝗻 Struggling to delegate? Feeling overwhelmed? 𝗜𝘁’𝘀 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲 𝘁𝗼: • Identify what’s holding you back. • Build trust in your team. • Delegate with strategy and confidence. 𝗖𝗼𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗽 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘂𝗻𝗹𝗼𝗰𝗸 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝗽𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗮𝗹. 𝗣.𝗦. DM me for a free discovery call #peakimpactmentorship #leadership #growth