The Importance of Delegating

By: Amanda Norell

We’ve all been there: the new guy or gal, following the lead of the veteran employees and just starting to learn your way. But before you know it you’re thrown into the “big leagues,” taking on your own projects and assignments, and gaining experience as a leader. But just as you were handed tasks as a newbie, one of your greatest responsibilities as a leader is delegating roles to members of your team. For those of you who are independent workers or self proclaimed “control freaks,” you may find this difficult to do, but believe me when I say that delegating tasks will make your life so much easier. Not only that, but giving others a part in the overall project brings the team closer together by distributing the responsibility to different team members.

I have had my share of delegating experience, but I was not always its biggest advocate at first. I work well in teams and am by no means a “control freak,” but I felt initially, “who am I to be telling him/her what to do?” Because I hadn’t had a great deal of leadership experience myself, I felt as though I shouldn’t be handing out assignments to my peers, some of who had more experience than I. That is another key factor to leadership and delegation: confidence. When you are managing a task or project you are in control, so act like it! If the team sees their leader struggling, the success of the team is at risk. This was something I realized quickly, and after my first round of delegation I realized that assigning tasks was not as big of a deal as I had made it out to be. So don’t be timid, take charge, and utilize your team! You will see greater success, a closer team dynamic, and a smoother transition to your ultimate goal.