An alarming number of leaders suffer from the sensation that each day they are losing ground, unable to stay in front of the wave of overburdening workloads, deadlines, and expectations. The toll on productivity, morale, and health often goes unrecognized until a crisis hits.
Equally alarming is that in some cases it is self-induced. Many leaders take on assignments, unnecessarily retain work, or fail to delegate when the opportunities exist. Granted, in this do-more-with-less culture, leaders may have fewer resources, but overworked managers often fail to understand what true delegation is and are unable to delegate even when they do.
Leaders who don’t delegate suffer from an inability to manage, as desperation becomes the norm. The added stress and anxiety flows from the leader’s desk to the staff, and sets the entire organization on edge. Conditions around the team worsen as attitudes, engagement, efficiency, and profitability degrade.
Many leaders view delegation as a sign of weakness, an inability to handle the job, or something done out of desperation. However, delegation is a strategic tool used by wise leaders to make the most of available manpower to clear tough obstacles. Learning to delegate offers leaders relief and equips them to manage at their best, which is ultimately best for everyone.
Over the next few weeks we will be looking at various aspects of delegation as well as some best practices to follow so you can ensure things go smoothly. As always, I would love to hear from you. I can be reached here or on LinkedIn.
