Four Rules for Sane Delegating

By Julie Morgenstern
Tips to help bosses afraid of letting go learn how to delegate.

It takes courage to delegate effectively. If you're afraid to let someone else see your weaknesses, take heart: nobody's perfect. Besides, your attempts to hide your flaws don't work as well as you think they do.









  1. Break the habit of total self-reliance. You're not the only person who can or wants to do a good job.
  2. Off-load one skill at a time. A gradual approach keeps both "delegatee" and "delegator" from being overwhelmed.
  3. Establish a clear division of labor. This way nothing gets done twice or slips through the cracks.
  4. Be precise about your goals, but keep an open mind about how you reach them. Engage your team members' creativity—you might gain from their fresh approaches.