Peace through Delegation

By: Jenny Cronin, Co-CEO, Collabry

It’s a pithy title for a huge concept, and I’ve observed the most successful leaders employ this tactic with grace. Delegation is simply “to entrust another person with a task or responsibility.” It often leads to more positive outcomes for all involved because there is a shared sense of ownership and success. Yet, it is also one act we seem most hardwired to resist, especially when the stakes feel high. In these moments, consider delegation a path to peace, where sharing the load is beneficial for you and the business.

Tough Love: Get Over Yourself

The idea that things won’t be done well if you don’t do them is probably not true. They may not be done as you would do them, but that might be a delightful surprise! In our competitive environment, we want to be seen as achievers. But what if we considered the act of delegation a high-order achievement? There is more than one way to placate an ego.

“Delegation is simply “to entrust another person with a task or responsibility.” It often leads to more positive outcomes for all involved because there is a shared sense of ownership and success.”

“I Don’t Have the Time” Perpetuates Itself

Training people, reviewing their work, and patiently guiding them as they develop their own rhythms takes time, so it’s naturally faster to do it yourself—for a while. But by not allowing others to step up, you become the dreaded bottleneck. This means you’re doing all the things—big and small—and living in a funhouse mirror of a workday where you veer from high-level strategy to font sizes on a presentation. If you’re a rockstar CMO doing statement inserts to “help the team out,” chances are you’re not allocating enough time for big-picture thinking, let alone recharging. It may also send a message to your team that they’re not as capable.

Delegation Is Regenerative

Leadership requires delegation to grow others and yourself. To quote Stephen Covey, "Delegation is empowerment." By sharing the load, you're actually amplifying your collective impact. You are also making space for what is next.

“But by not allowing others to step up, you become the dreaded bottleneck.”

When to Outsource

Sometimes a team is at capacity, and it’s time to bring in outside support—to delegate the tasks that keep business as usual on track, or to lay the foundation for launching new initiatives. That’s where a consultancy like Collabry comes in. We bring ease and expertise to everything from project management to communications plans to business analysis, allowing you to focus on achieving strategic objectives. In other words, we can bring peace of mind.