Even the strongest leaders can’t carry it all alone.
In The Lord of the Rings, Samwise Gamgee doesn’t take the Ring from Frodo but he offers something just as powerful: support, loyalty, and the simple words, “Let me help you. Share the load.”
Delegation isn’t about offloading responsibility, it’s about building trust, empowering others, and recognizing that leadership is a shared journey.
Why is it that so many leaders struggle to delegate? What’s really holding them back?
Let’s start by first defining what delegation means. Delegation is a process by which a leader or individual assigns responsibility and authority to another person to carry out specific tasks or decisions. It involves entrusting others with work that could be done by the leader, in order to increase efficiency, develop team members’ skills, and focus on higher-level priorities.
I recently read a job description for business owners created by a business consultant I highly respect. It included 4 big ideas - one of which drew my attention,
“The business owner must hire, train, and develop key team members. If the firm intends to grow, it needs to hire. Even if you are terrible at hiring and training, the only way to reinforce those values in your team and how you work together is to be involved in hiring and training key team members.”
I was drawn by this description as in its core it underscores this process of delegation. There are days where training and development encompasses a good 80% or more of my day, and this principle is not limited to business owners, but it is a big part of key management and senior roles across companies, industries, and organizations.
In order to successfully grow and build, you have to train others to do the work.
And here comes the caveat: Training involves delegating. As you train others, you pass on responsibilities, tasks, and priorities so they can see it through. You teach, coach, give feedback, redirect, clarify, and provide the needed resources for people to succeed in the tasks.
For some, delegating is tacitly understood as a way to share the load.
But for others, way too many, delegating means letting go, taking the risk that another will deliver with the quality and preferences you have honed in.
And this process can be a battle. I've listened to leaders across sectors share many misgivings about delegating, such as:
Fear that the work won’t be done correctly
Lack of time to train others effectively
A culture that doesn’t encourage feedback
Fear of failure in an unforgiving environment
Discomfort with letting go and trusting others
When I’ve pressed further, the apprehension is fueled by negative experiences that have rooted them further.
Take the employee who pulled hours to get all needed for an impending deadline in presenting a pitch to senior leaders, and during the meeting, the other team members who didn’t contribute but who were articulate and verbal took the credit for the project at the last minute.
One experience like this is enough to deter you from swiftly jumping onboard the next time you are asked to work on a team-collaborative project, for example. It’s understandable to appreciate why repeated experiences where you feel you are betrayed, for example, can foster cynicism and skepticism.
Or what if your personality disposition is one that values quality and wants to ensure products or projects delivered are done with excellence? The standard of excellence can be so exceedingly high that there is no room for failure or mistakes. We all want quality products and thus excellence is a good thing of course. Yet, how do you balance the standards with room for growth and learning. When you train others, there is a learning curve, and they will do things differently.
Yes, delegating is a struggle.
What is the main reason leaders struggle to delegate?
LACK OF TRUST in others to do the job as well as they would.
Leaders also, often hesitate to delegate due to fears of losing control, concerns about quality, and the belief that doing it themselves is faster.
Research from Harvard Business Review and the Center for Creative Leadership highlights that many see delegation as a threat to their authority or efficiency.
Here are some mindsets that threaten delegating:
Time investment: Training others takes more time than doing the task alone.
Perfectionism: No one can meet their standards.
Insecurity: May expose their lack of expertise or threaten their value.
Cultural norms: In some workplaces, failure or asking for help is stigmatized.
Which of the reasons above do you resonate most with in not delegating?
Personally, my strength lies in thinking strategically about alternative options and plans, I have found that I benefit by collaborating and delegating. What makes me hesitate, is the time it takes to do so well. Explaining, coaching, and communicating effectively so that others can truly appreciate the project, takes time.
When I find myself hesitating to delegate, I pause and ask what am I giving up by not doing so?
It's a disservice to simply dismiss the concerns that hold you back from delegating. Those concerns matter as you can create a plan to address them.
Often, that plan hinges on development. While it does take time to train others effectively, breaking down the process, offering encouragement, and providing timely feedback fosters growth. It also creates the space for those concerns to shrink as trust and competence grow.
How do you decide when to take care of something yourself and when to delegate?
In my experience, I tend to jump in and handle things directly when the stakes are high, the deadline is tight, or I’ve taken on more than I can manage. Often, it’s not because I don’t want to delegate, it’s because I haven’t created the time needed to coach someone else to do it well.
There are also moments when stepping in is necessary. Strong leaders sometimes need to lean in and finish things decisively. When that’s missing, teams can lose momentum and drift. It’s one of the many reasons we value leadership. It’s great to lean on someone who is willing to carry it through to the end.
But when last-minute fixes become the norm, and that “I’ll just do it myself” mode becomes a habit, it’s time to pause. Ask yourself: If I’m not in the room, will this still move forward?
If the honest answer is consistently no, then it’s time to slow down and start training others up.
Embracing training and the process of delegating is a game changer.
It can create more margins in your life, it can help you focus more on your strengths, it can give you the creative energy to innovate and adapt, and it gives you the joy of seeing others flourish and grow.
There’s deep satisfaction in watching others thrive, when you’re not held back by fear that they might outshine you or take your place. But if this is the case, it reveals some greater issues of insecurity, a deeper conversation to be held.
One of the biggest benefits of delegation is that it gives you back something many leaders fear losing, time. Ironically, when you invest time upfront to train and equip others, you often gain more time in the long run. That early investment pays off.
Time to invest in your loved ones, contribute to your community, and engage in activities that support a more balanced, fulfilling life.
The cost for not delegating is high.
You end up with too much on your plate and as a result, your body eventually breaks down and screams for attention, paving the way for burnout, fatigue and exhaustion.
Delegation is an act of trust, empowerment, and collaborative leadership that is worth investing in.
As noted, delegation can be more complex than what it sounds.
It’s not just about handing off a task, it’s about letting go of control, trusting someone else’s process, and risking that things might not be done the way you would have done them. For many leaders, especially those who care deeply about excellence and responsibility, that can feel incredibly uncomfortable.
The internal resistance can be very loud:
“What if they don’t do it right?”
“It’ll take more time to explain than to just do it myself.”
“What if I stop being seen as essential?”
Sometimes, what you need is someone to coach you through the mindset shift.
If this resonates with you, you're not alone, and you don’t have to figure it out alone either.
Let’s work through it together.
Whether you’re stuck in the cycle of doing everything yourself or struggling to build a team that takes ownership, coaching can help you build practical skills, shift habits, and grow as a more empowered (and empowering) leader.
📩 Reach out today if you’re ready to start delegating with clarity, confidence, and support.
Ready to delegate? Below are some practical tips that will lead to a successful process.
Know What to Delegate
Delegate tasks that are routine, time-consuming, or developmental.
Know Your Team
Match the task with the person’s skills, experience, and interests.
Know Your Expectations
Define and communicate the outcome, deadlines, and standards for success.
Know the Resources
Make sure they have access to the tools, support, resources, and training needed to complete the task.
Know who is Responsible
Clearly identify who is responsible for what.
Know the Process
Break down the process and take the time to teach the preferred process.
Know How to Give Support & Recognition
Trust the person to do the job their way unless there's a strong reason to intervene.
Schedule appropriate check-ins to review progress without hovering.
Provide feedback and adjust if necessary.
Give credit for the work done.
Recognize success and provide constructive feedback privately.
Excellent Sis. Good food for thought and great talking piece.
This was a great read. I truly enjoyed it. It is a powerful reminder of why delegation matters and how it plays a key role in maintaining a growth mindset.