The greatest leaders are master delegators. They delegate from the beginning of their leadership journey, avoiding any last-minute, panic handovers or burnouts.

Empowering staff goes beyond simply knowing how to distribute workload effectively. It involves fostering an atmosphere in which staff go that step further, claiming ownership of their role, and increasing job satisfaction and overall morale.

According to Lynne Darcey Quigley, CEO and Founder of Know IT, delegating tasks has never been a challenge.

“I firmly believe in hiring individuals who excel in areas I need to improve. As a result, I have assembled an exceptional team that shares my vision and has propelled our company forward. I embrace delegation and allow my team to take ownership of their decisions.

This has enabled us to have a more agile and proactive approach to problem-solving. As a result, we have seen tremendous success,” she says.

Powerless or powerful?

Business leaders can be notoriously reluctant to give up control.

However, to truly achieve business growth, building a robust team and efficiently assigning responsibilities is imperative. Witnessing staff excel at their job is a gratifying experience that stems from providing them with ample opportunities to succeed, advises Darcey Quigley.

“This involves giving them the freedom to think creatively, think outside the box, and develop their unique ideas. Encouraging your team to be innovative and take risks can help to foster a culture of growth and success.

“This also leads to higher engagement and morale among team members, as they can take ownership of their work and have their ideas heard. Ultimately, this can lead to improved team performance and better business outcomes,” she adds.

Delegation is a leadership characteristic that will either hold you back or advance you. The ability to nurture and develop talent lies in delegation, whereas a lack of it can lead to disengaged workers.

Costly business

The cost of delegating can be high. The quality of work might suffer, employee confidence may take a hit and the financial cost of staff training is also a consideration.

However, the cost of a leader’s unwillingness to delegate is even higher. Overseeing all aspects of the business all the time can lead to mental and physical fatigue. According to the most recent Global Leadership Forecast 2023 study by DDI, 70% of leaders under the age of 35 say they feel exhausted at the end of every day, with rates among women and underrepresented groups being significantly higher. These percentages need to come down. And fast. Additionally, a lack of delegation can leave the team frustrated. With continuous micro-management, staff can feel inadequate in their jobs, leading to disengaged employees.

Delegating is always a good idea. Good for the employer. Good for the employee. Good for business.

Delegate to accumulate

Know-it is at the start of their scale-up journey, and it has been successful so far.

“We’re confident that with the right tools and techniques, we will continue to be successful and achieve our goals. Our team is dedicated to making sure this happens. With the proper support and guidance, we can reach new heights,” enthuses Darcey Quigley.

Giving responsibility to others is more than merely removing something off the leader’s plate. It helps employees develop and grow. It promotes efficiency. It encourages flexibility. It fosters a collaborative work environment. It saves time. The list goes on.

“The inability to delegate is one of the biggest problems I see.” – Eli Broad

This article was first published by Patricia Cullen at Business Leader.