Learning how to delegate tasks effectively is a hallmark of great leadership. It’s also one of the biggest hurdles for first-time managers to overcome as it forces them to transition from working on projects to leading a team. Great leaders don’t attempt to do everything themselves; instead, they delegate tasks strategically to foster trust and engagement, as well as facilitate career development among their team members.
Delegating projects to other team members also frees up valuable time in your schedule so you can focus on your key responsibilities. Just as importantly, offloading tasks will keep you from overloading your schedule, which is unsustainable in the long run and will lead to burnout. Your direct reports will benefit as well, as additional projects and responsibilities will give them the opportunity to diversify their skill set and advance their careers.
If that wasn’t enough, effective delegation will benefit your organization because it maximizes productivity. Projects are more likely to get accomplished on time, which is always a good thing. But despite all of these benefits, many managers—for various reasons—find it difficult to delegate tasks to their subordinates.