Why “Should” is the Enemy of Delegation

In theory, delegation - the dispersing of tasks to others - is Leadership 101.?When we entered into our first leadership roles, we knew to some extent that a portion of our time would shift from "doing" to managing others' "doing" instead.?

But in my years of experience working 1:1 with executives, delegation is still one of the most challenging skills for even the most seasoned leaders to master. And everyone has a unique reason why they struggle with it. Here are some of the most common that I've witnessed:

• The "pull your own weight" belief:?Leaders who hold and communicate the fundamental belief that all jobs are created equal provide tremendous value to the organizations they run. But sometimes, this belief can manifest as intense discomfort with asking others to share a workload, fearing that they may seem "above" certain tasks.?
• The "if you want something done well, you have to do it yourself" belief:?Some leaders simultaneously undervalue their colleague's abilities and exaggerate the need for their involvement on projects, which leads to a tendency to hoard work to feel in control.?
• The "but isn't that my job?" belief:?Leadership roles are vast and often nebulous-feeling?–?and leaders inhabit jobs differently.?Because leaders are accountable for everything, they find it challenging to figure out?where to spend their time and on what tasks/initiatives, which leads them to believe the answer is: all of them.?
• The "path of least resistance" belief:?Sometimes, it feels easier to add to your plate than to take the steps needed to delegate.?

In each of these scenarios, leaders are often tethered to a "should" - I "should" do this because I'm in a senior position, I "should" want to do this because I'm spearheading this project, and so on.?But "shoulds" are rarely trustworthy guides. Listening to them often leads us straight to burnout and overwhelm.?

So how can leaders rethink what it means to delegate?

As you look at your commitments and tasks, you can ask yourself: when I take these on, am I leaving something of more value on the table? For example, let's say you take ownership of planning your next town hall meeting. In doing so, you're suddenly flooded with all of the questions and details that go into preparation - from sourcing a venue to scheduling rehearsals to providing input for event branding and design.?Not only does this take up a significant chunk of your time, but it also prevents you from something the medical field calls "practicing at the top of your license." This concept, which suggests that medical professionals dedicate their time to work that employs?"the full extent of their education and training, instead of spending time doing tasks that could be performed by someone else," drives home the message that jobs are performed best when they're done?at the right?level?of expertise.?

With this in mind, it's easier to consider the example above and see where opportunities to utilize expertise and drive value are sitting dormant:

1. By not taking ownership of event planning, you could have used the extra time to prepare and rehearse your big presentation, or program a panel discussion with notable guest speakers.?
2. Another member of your team - who has interest and expertise in event planning - could have stepped into the role and provided value in your stead.?

To avoid these missed opportunities in the future, you can create a habit of weighing the two sides of every decision you make regarding workload: when you say yes to something, you are?–?by default?–?saying no to something else, and vice versa.?In time, you'll build a practice of saying "no" to those tasks you won't add value to and offer these up as development opportunities for other members of your team who would be excited to say "yes" instead. Eventually, those "shoulds" will take a backseat to giving yourself and others the chance to truly shine?in your element.?