Delegation Without Trust

“I trust you completely. Just send me the draft before you share it. And CC me on the emails. And check with me before the meeting.”

That is not delegation. That is remote-controlled execution with extra steps.

Liz Wiseman’s research on Multipliers: the best leaders gave people challenges that stretched them and then got out of the way. Diminishers maintained control disguised as helpfulness. Both believed they were right. The difference was visible only to the person underneath.

Trust is a risk. If you cannot tolerate them doing it differently, you have not delegated. You have distributed your anxiety.

Let go. That is where growth lives.