Delegation Mistakes That Hurt Team Productivity

I've worked with 1,000+ leaders over the last 3 years. Most make the same common mistakes. Except for the best ones. → They build on the lessons of others. → They build empowered teams. → They build lean systems. Because the best mistakes? Are the ones you avoid. Here are the 9 that trip managers up constantly. Drowning in Work → You're working 60+ hours and have no time for your team → Fix: Daily "Power Hour" - 60 mins of editing and delegating Staying in The Spotlight → You're still doing the work instead of enabling others to excel → Fix: Track time coaching delegating each week Ineffective Feedback → Your feedback creates defensiveness instead of growth → Fix: Use SBI method (Situation-Behavior-Impact) + clear next steps Missing Early Warning Signs → Problems explode because you spot them too late → Fix: Triangulate: review metrics, talk to one customer and one skip-level No Management System → Your days are chaotic and reactive instead of structured → Fix: Three non-negotiable: expectations, 1:1s, feedback Excluding Teams from Decisions → You make quick decisions alone that fail in execution → Fix: "Co-Author" rule - team proposes, you refine, everyone owns Tolerating Toxic Talent → High-performing a$$holes are driving away good team members → Fix: Monthly culture impact reviews alongside performance metrics Information Hoarding → Critical knowledge lives only in your head → Fix: Weekly lunch-and-learns plus Leadership Loom wrap-ups Reactive Calendar Management → Your calendar runs you instead of serving you → Fix: Time-block using 40-40-20 rule: team time, deep work, flexibility These mistakes are all too common. They're also 100% avoidable. Simple systems consistently outperform good intentions. What mistakes did I miss? Or what fix are you going to try? Please repost ♻️ to help other leaders and follow Dave Kline 🔔 for more.

𝗠𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗱𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗴𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗺𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲𝘀 𝗱𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗯𝗮𝗱 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁. 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝘆 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗶𝗻𝘃𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗮𝘀𝘀𝘂𝗺𝗽𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀. “I thought they understood…” “I didn’t want to burden them…” “I assumed they knew how to do it…” As an executive coach working with senior leaders across industries, I see this pattern every single week. 👉 Delegation is not about dumping. 👉 It’s not about detailing every step. 👉 And it’s definitely not about doing it yourself because “no one else gets it.” 𝗜𝘁'𝘀 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝘀𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗱𝗲𝗲𝗽𝗲𝗿: Transferring clarity, confidence, and responsibility. Here’s how I explain it in my D.N.A. of Influence™ coaching framework: 🔍 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗺𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗴𝗲𝘁 𝘄𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗴: They assume instructions are clear without confirmation. They delegate without verifying if the person has the skills. They hold back critical tasks because they don’t trust outcomes. They either micromanage every small detail or completely disappear. They skip check-ins, then panic when the final outcome is off track. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘂𝗹𝘁? 🟥 Overload. 🟥 Disengaged team. 🟥 Loss of credibility. 🟥 Bottlenecks in execution. ✅ What high-trust leaders do instead: Confirm understanding every single time – even if it feels redundant. Match tasks to team members' strengths and verify their readiness. Provide autonomy, but don’t disappear—stay available. Share high-stakes projects, not just routine admin. Follow up consistently, not just when things break. 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗶𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹 𝗱𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗴𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗸𝘀 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲: A conscious act of empowerment with accountability. In my coaching sessions, we go deeper into: ✅ Need Alignment – What drives the person you’re delegating to? ✅ Influence without Control – How to empower without micromanaging. ✅ Language of Trust – What to say (and what not to say) when handing over responsibility. ✅ Feedback Loops – How to course-correct without demoralizing. 🎯 If you’re a senior leader tired of doing everything yourself… …Or if you’ve delegated and still ended up doing the heavy lifting… 𝗦𝘂𝗯𝘀𝗰𝗿𝗶𝗯𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗺𝘆 𝗻𝗲𝘄𝘀𝗹𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗴𝗲𝘁 𝗺𝘆 𝗗𝗡𝗔 𝗼𝗳 𝗜𝗻𝗳𝗹𝘂𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲™ 𝗳𝗿𝗮𝗺𝗲𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝗳𝗿𝗲𝗲. You’ll learn the same tools I’ve used to help executives: ✔ Build trust with their teams ✔ Free up hours every week ✔ And finally lead at the level they’re paid for. Let’s make leadership lighter—and more effective. #Influence #peakimpactmentorship  #DNAofInfluence #leadership

You're not delegating. You're outsourcing confusion. Most CEOs think they're delegating. But without context, clarity, and ownership, they're throwing away money and time. I've worked with many CEOs over the years, These are the 7 biggest mistakes they make: 1. Not giving enough context ↳ If the team doesn't know the big picture, they can't give it their all. 2. Explaining everything at once ↳ Infodumping creates confusion. 3. Random tasks, zero strategy ↳ People aren't mind readers. Tell them how it all connects. 4. Expecting people to "get it" ↳ Don't assume they'll magically pick things up. Give clarity. 5. Only showing up when sh*t goes wrong ↳ If you're only there when things go south, that's not leadership. 6. Never defining what success looks like ↳ Tell them the expected outcome or don't be surprised if they miss. 7. Delegating without letting go ↳ You're the bottleneck if you give the task but hoard authority. If you're delegating without direction, don't be shocked when things go sideways. Trust your team, give them context, let them work. Which one of these mistakes have you been guilty of? ________________ ♻️ If this hits home, share it with your network. 🔔 Follow Christine Carrillo for more no-fluff leadership insights. 💡 Stuck on delegation? I built a course for that: https://bit.ly/41wb1iA

Most leaders make these delegation mistakes. Do you? Delegation is a crucial skill for a leader. And it’s one that’s easy to mess up. This can harm both productivity and morale. I know because I’ve made every mistake multiple times. After 10+ years leading teams and overcoming my own delegation challenges, Here are the 8 biggest delegation mistakes and how to fix them: 1) Unclear Goals   ↳ Don’t just assign tasks - set SMART goals so expectations are clear   ↳ Clear communication is key to alignment 2) Micromanaging   ↳ Resist the urge to control everything - give autonomy within boundaries   ↳ Trust your team to handle responsibility 3) Mismatched Skills   ↳ Align tasks to strengths - train to fill skill gaps   ↳ Ensure everyone is set up for success 4) Lack of Follow-Up   ↳ Check progress frequently - use tools to track work   ↳ Maintain accountability without hovering 5) Inadequate Support   ↳ Ensure access to all resources needed to succeed   ↳ Provide tools and information to excel 6) Overloading Stars   ↳ Distribute work evenly - rotate responsibilities   ↳ Prevent burnout and maintain engagement 7) Ignoring Feedback   ↳ Encourage input - improve processes through feedback   ↳ Make everyone feel valued and heard 8) No Recognition   ↳ Acknowledge achievements - incentivize great work   ↳ Foster a culture of appreciation Effective delegation requires: - Realistic timelines - Clear communication  - Empowering your team - Developing trust Strategic delegation is crucial for leaders. Avoid these mistakes to build an empowered, productive team! P.S. What delegation challenges have you faced as a leader? Share your lessons learned! — ♻️ Repost to help leaders delegate effectively! ➕ Follow me Sandra Pellumbi for more. 🦉