What would happen to your company if, for the next three months, you didn’t show up to work and couldn’t be reached by phone—or in any way? Business is not sustainable in the long term if you alone make all the final decisions. Delegation can be the “safe mode” of business.
Delegating and Energizing
“My people” function (among other things) on the energy they receive from me—through feedback, encouragement, and motivation. But if I only point out mistakes, missed deadlines, or unfinished tasks, it drains their energy. And mine as well.
Of course, I need to evaluate processes and outcomes. But the way I do it—the approach I take—determines whether I energize my team or deplete them.
The reason I connect delegation with energy is simple: people need energy to handle demanding tasks. And I need to delegate those tasks. So should every manager or CEO who wants to succeed.
Success Is Subjective, but…
Imagine gathering everyone who works for you, everyone who contributes to your business, into one room. If, as CEO, you realize you are the most skilled person there—you’ve got a problem.
Delegation is not important just because it frees up your time for higher-priority activities (though that’s certainly a great benefit). You should delegate because it develops the skills of the people around you.
Because delegation is an investment in the growth of your team—and therefore in the growth of your business.
As an entrepreneur, I manage multiple projects. The common goal across all of them is simple: to delegate in a way that helps me succeed, but also helps every team member succeed.
In fact, it works the other way around: success grows when the people around me succeed.
If you start exploring the topic of delegation, you’ll find plenty written about its importance. That much is widely known. I suggest you see it as an additional opportunity. I did:
When I pass something new to someone, I also gain something in return. Business shouldn’t rest entirely on my shoulders—it can’t. Delegation makes people co-creators of the business. It allows me to set a pace that keeps me resilient and persistent.
Redirect and Guide
What I once did myself, I now redirect to someone else. And of course, I guide them—but not by dictating how to do the work. Rather, through a clear and detailed brief. Micromanaging someone’s style can backfire, achieving the opposite of the intended result.
The reality is, much of my work may look like a black hole to others—they don’t know everything I do or how I do it. And that’s fine. When I decide to delegate, I ask myself:
- Who can complete this task best?
- Who will grow the most from it?
- Who has the potential to develop through this challenge?
Over time, I’ve learned three things: First, I don’t want to be the one person holding everything together. Second, people need to be engaged. Third, I should delegate to those who will grow most from the task.
There’s one more truth I’ve seen proven again and again: I want to improve the business—but so does my team. Because they, too, profit from it (and not only financially).
Delegation Is Mental Equipment for the Future
At the beginning, I asked one question. Here’s another: what exactly do you carry on your shoulders within your business—toward employees, processes, and clients?
I delegate constantly. Because I want my ventures to be living organisms—able to survive without me, able to thrive even if I step away for a while.
There’s another reason: I need to keep growing as a leader, focusing on innovation, because that too drives the business forward. But above all, I want to do this in a way that ensures I still enjoy going to work—even after 15 years in business. That I still have energy for projects, that my entrepreneurial drive doesn’t fade, and that I continue to see the link between delegation, motivating people, and managing priorities.
“If you want to do a few small things right, do them yourself. If you want to do great things and make a big impact, learn to delegate.”
– John C. Maxwell
