“If I don’t do it, it won’t be done right.” This is one of the most dangerous mentalities to have in the workplace. Unfortunately, it is one of the most popular ones. People who refuse to delegate their work run the risk of becoming a workaholic. On top of that, refusal to delegate tasks does not look good in the long run.
The Long Run
While it might seem like toughing it out and completing every task yourself is the most responsible thing to do, that is not always the case. Even though this mindset does show dedication, it also indicates that you might not work well in a team setting.
Though it might not seem like it sometimes, there is a benefit to delegating tasks to others in the workforce. By deciding not to delegate tasks, you are making your job harder. Even if a coworker might not understand how to complete a task, you contribute to the issue by keeping those tasks from them. If newer employees are never allowed to learn a task, those tasks will always fall into other hands.
Building Your Team
While delegation helps educate others, it also brings teams closer together. By allowing others to complete tasks, you open the door to see things from their perspective. Being able to learn about other coworkers like this can help when delegating tasks in the future. When you allow employees to learn new jobs, you can figure out their strengths and weaknesses. Being able to know these things about your team helps ensure that you all run smoothly together.
How Do I Delegate?
Like any other skill, delegation can take time and practice to learn. Thankfully, Bigger Brains offers courses that help teach this crucial skill! Stronger Together is a course that explains the benefits of adequately delegating tasks to your team. This easy-to-follow story covers the steps needed to ensure that every member of your team feels valued and essential.
Overall, delegation is the most crucial skill for a manager to learn and master. You can’t do everything yourself, and you’ll go crazy if you try! At the same time, delegation is challenging and takes both commitment and time to understand. The good news is, once you start delegating well, you’ll be surrounding yourself with capable and empowered team members.
