Give Them Some Rope

How to Delegate for Success

How, when, and why we should delegate responsibility to someone else in our organization is one of the hardest challenges a leader faces. Done well, it empowers team members to grow and thrive in ways that make the entire organization stronger. Done poorly, it can quite literally destroy everything you’ve built.
Delegation is not a blind handoff…it is a critical growth strategy. Essentially, it’s a well thought-out, step-by-step process that intentionally shifts the responsibility for particular functions, tasks, or decisions from one person on your team to another person who has been properly trained and is ready. Correctly done, delegation is the result of time spent on training, repetition, mistakes, growth, and earned trust. And it’s a critical strategy for growth.

Dave Ramsey uses the rope teaching metaphor to visualize the varying levels of trust needed for successful delegation. At first, you hold the rope tight enough that you can oversee everything. But as the person makes good decisions, you gradually lengthen the rope. Every step forward means a little more rope. Incompetence tightens the rope. All the while, though, you’re teaching them through training, repetition, mistakes (yes, they’re a given), and earned trust. When a team member consistently demonstrates two critical qualities – integrity and competency – you can trust them enough to delegate confidently.

As a leader, delegation allows you to focus on the big picture, with the confidence to know the everyday things are being handled completely and completely. It allows you to grow your organization with integrity and functionality. And it’s one of the best investments of your valuable time.

Would you like to do a deeper dive into how to make delegation an integral part of your organization? Check out Dave Ramsey’s book, “Delegation: The Most Rewarding, Frustrating…Awesome Part of Running Your Business.”

Stay Sharp,

Holly Hayes, President & Founder
ISI Consulting