You can’t do everything on your own — nor should you.
June 14, 2024
Illustration by Pierre Buttin
Post
Post
Share
Annotate
Save
Learning how to delegate well is a skill every first-time manager needs to learn from the very start. Many people are promoted into management for doing their previous job well. But once you’re promoted into a leadership role, you must accept that you can’t do everything on your own — nor should you. Though it may seem counterintuitive, the more senior you become in an organization, the less you’ll be involved in doing the day-to-day work. You’ll need to have a sense of what’s happening without directly contributing to every project. To do that, you first have to change your mindset from “doing” to “managing,” even though it might feel uncomfortable. If you resist this change, you’ll likely end up overwhelmed and (unintentionally) holding onto opportunities that could be given to your team.
Tom, a client of mine, started our coaching session by placing his three-page to-do list on the table between us. As a new leader in the organization, he felt both excited about his role and overwhelmed by the responsibilities he was now expected to take on. As we began to review his long list of tasks, I asked, “Is there anyone you can hand a few of these responsibilities off to?”
New!
HBR Learning
Delegating Course
Accelerate your career with Harvard ManageMentor®. HBR Learning’s online leadership training helps you hone your skills with courses like Delegating. Earn badges to share on LinkedIn and your resume. Access more than 40 courses trusted by Fortune 500 companies.
The key component of your transformation from a manager into a leader.
Start Course
New!
HBR Learning
Delegating Course
Accelerate your career with Harvard ManageMentor®. HBR Learning’s online leadership training helps you hone your skills with courses like Delegating. Earn badges to share on LinkedIn and your resume. Access more than 40 courses trusted by Fortune 500 companies.
The key component of your transformation from a manager into a leader.
