The barriers to delegating

Barriers to Delegation

We know it isn't always easy to delegate. The main reasons clients give me is time. They know that delegating will make them more efficient, but they don't feel like they have the time to plan, organise, set, goals, monitor and support. So they keep doing what they have always done and got no where fast. Time is a valid reason, but it is non-sensical. So we deep dive into what is really the barrier or clock. This is what I usually see below the surface.

1. Fear – Yes, this is the number one reason. Fear of failing. Fear of letting go. Fear of feeling replaceable. Fear of someone being better than you. So many fears are at play. It is completely normal to have fear, but not rational to be controlled by it. What you need to do is take control and be a driving force in your teams success. OK so someone might have more knowledge than you about a task. You are not supposed to know everything about all parts of the teams work. If this concerns you, then have regular check ins, or ask team members to write updates or process guides for you. 
2. Control – We know that some managers are controllers. They like to make all of the decisions and hold all of the power. It is driven by fear. The fear that delegating any of their authority will result in a loss of their influence and power in the company. They like to give the orders, tell everyone how to work, where and how. The teams never really thrive, and because they hold all of the power, they also hold all of the blame for poor performance. 
3. Lack of trust – Yes, it's fear again. If you do not trust that other people can do a good job then you are unlikely to delegate. Sometimes the lack of trust is reasonable, but you have to help others gain that trust. The skill/will lesson will help you both build that trust. We have probably all been let down by someone. But we can learn from it and make sure we do better next time, rather than avoid trusting ever again.
4. Fear of failure - Managers who do not want to accept the risk of their team members making any mistakes don't tend to delegate. Delegating always has an associated risk, but you can mitigate that risk by putting things in place like reporting, monitoring, check ins, catch ups. 
5. Poor ability Some Managers don't know how to delegate. They may not spot the areas where delegation is required or a development opportunity exists. 
6. People Pleasers – I have met a few Managers that don't like to delegate because they don't want to over burden their team. They make assessments about people and their abilities without discussing them with the team. More often than not, the team want something new or interesting to do.
7. Too busy – This belief is held by so many. Yes, initially, delegating can be time-consuming but it pays off in the long run. 

Identify which barriers you have and then identify ways to overcome them.