Delegation is crucial to any well-functioning organization. Recognizing how to get tasks done in the most efficient manner and by the most appropriate employee frees up company resources and allows the management team to focus on strategic policies, business development and other forward-looking elements. Identifying the common obstacles to delegation is the first step toward better delegation.


It’s common to believe no one else can do a task as well or as quickly as you can, but it’s also a mindset that stops you from using your employees to their full abilities. Other psychological barriers to delegation include an excessive need to be involved in the details of every project and micromanage employee actions. Recognize that these mental habits often prevent you from focusing on what’s really important. As a manager, you need to develop trust in your employees.


Sometimes, it can be difficult to delegate because of the time and effort needed to communicate the intricacies of a particular project or because of a lack of good communication channels for the employee to give you feedback as he completes the work. To tackle this issue, bring the employee into the process at an earlier stage so he has a better grasp of the project's scope. Then define the specific task the employee will undertake. Set expectations for reporting progress, agreeing on deadlines and measurable goals.


It may be that you genuinely don’t have other staff members with the skills needed for the task you’d like to delegate. This is a long-term training and development issue. Identify the particular skills you’d like to pass on, select employees with the best potential to quickly and fully grasp those skills and then implement a thorough training program. This allows you to plan fully for future delegation.

Failure to Delegate Authority

Some managers delegate a task but forget to give the employee the full authority she may need to complete the task. If the employee needs to access confidential information or if she needs to ask other team members to cooperate in fulfilling the delegated task, make sure everyone in the organization is aware she has your full authority to take those steps or ask for that cooperation.

Fear of Failure

Some management teams don’t delegate sufficiently because they are afraid employees may make mistakes or fail at the task. Recognize that failure is part of the learning process and often a precursor to a more creative solution to a problem. Allow your employees to fail within a safe parameter, and don’t feel as if delegating was the wrong move just because the process didn’t go completely smoothly.

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