Delegation and Trust in Leadership

Delegation is a common struggle.  Leading is not doing it yourself.  We need to trust our team by valuing and cultivating their strengths.  There is no one right answer.   Over the years, I have had my share of “bad seeds” that have broken my trust and caused havoc in the work environment.  Recovering from those events often took time, but I learned from each interaction and relationship.  I learned how to choose my employees more carefully, but most importantly I have learned that the reward outweighs the risk.

Many leaders of small businesses halt their growth completely because they are unwilling or feel unable to delegate tasks to their team.  It is difficult to let go of having control over a well-oiled machine for fear it will negatively impact business growth.  The irony is that in the long run it is the very thing that will sink the ship.

First, learn your employee’s communication style.  Understand the way they learn and what their interests and talents are.  Delegate the tasks that fit their strengths and continually teach and lead by example.  Sometimes it helps to loosen the reigns slowly, giving up tasks one at a time. 

The road to get there is paved with delegation, trust and training.