What Is a Delegating Leadership Style?

A delegating leadership style involves entrusting responsibilities to team members and empowering them to take ownership of their work. Leaders who use this approach create an environment that fosters autonomy, growth, and shared accountability.

Research shows that effective delegation increases psychological empowerment in team members, who are then more likely to experience benefits like these:

• Increased job satisfaction
• Organizational commitment
• Innovative behavior
• High performance

Ultimately, a delegating leadership style motivates employees to enhance their skills and expertise by clarifying responsibilities and helping them evaluate how they’re doing in their role.

What Are Key Aspects of a Delegating Leadership Style?

Leaders who excel at delegation set clear performance standards and make sure their teams have the tools and support they need to succeed. These leaders view delegation as a tool for professional growth.

Leaders with this style:

• Practice high levels of trust. They’re comfortable involving teams in significant responsibilities within an environment of trust in their team members’ abilities and judgment.
• Encourage autonomy. They give team members the freedom to work independently and take ownership of their work within their area of responsibility.
• Offer guidance rather than direct control. They provide direction when needed but don’t dictate every step, acting as mentors or coaches who encourage solution development and problem solving.
• Match tasks to appropriate skills. They take the time to understand team members’ strengths and weaknesses so they can challenge employees without overwhelming them.
• Demonstrate flexibility and adaptability. They’re open to different approaches and are willing to change course and adjust according to the needs of each situation.
• Encourage development. They purposefully assign tasks that stretch team members’ abilities, viewing challenge and intelligent risk-taking as opportunities to learn.

While they trust their team, delegating leaders also balance delegation with appropriate levels of oversight to make sure organizational goals are met.

Most importantly, those with an effective delegating leadership style know what makes a good team leader. They acknowledge and appreciate when team members take on additional tasks, fulfill responsibilities creatively, and demonstrate leadership.

What Makes a Delegating Leadership Style Effective?

Leaders who adopt this style are valuable because they consider collaboration integral to success. They recognize the potential delegation has to create a more efficient and satisfying work environment. This benefits both the organization as a whole and team members on an individual level.

Organizational Benefits

1. Increased productivity and efficiency. Tasks are distributed more effectively, which can reduce bottlenecks and empower employees to quickly take action on opportunities.
2. Improved problem-solving. The organization can leverage collective intelligence by encouraging diverse perspectives.
3. Enhanced creativity. Employees can propose and test new ideas in a culture of innovation fostered by trust and autonomy.
4. Scalability of leadership. The organization can grow without becoming overly hierarchical thanks to organic leadership opportunities.
5. Improved company adaptability. Leaders can focus on high-level strategy and approaches to new opportunities while also taking advantage of decentralized decision-making and leadership. This makes operations more agile, which is particularly beneficial in times of change.

Team Member Benefits

1. Increased job satisfaction. Team members view their work as more meaningful when they see the direct impact of their efforts and decisions.
2. Accelerated career development. Exposure to new challenges broadens skill sets, which can prepare workforce members for advancement.
3. Higher levels of motivation. Autonomy is intrinsically motivating, prompting team members to feel a greater sense of ownership over their work and its role in achieving organizational goals.
4. Increased job security. As workforce members gain more skills and take on more responsibilities, they become more valuable to the organization.
5. Better relationships with leadership. The delegation process fosters trust and mutual respect and facilitates meaningful interactions between team members and leaders.

How Do You Implement a Delegating Leadership Style?

To effectively adopt this leadership approach, leaders must implement systems that bolster the key tenets of a delegating style.

1. Enhance Communication

Communication is the cornerstone of successful delegation. Leaders should always clearly articulate expectations so team members understand not only what needs to be done, but also why it’s important. Encourage open communication channels where team members feel comfortable asking questions or seeking clarification.

2. Improve Decision-Making Skills

Empower your team by delegating authority for decision making in specific circumstances. Teach risk-evaluation techniques to help team members make informed decisions independently. When mistakes are made, use them as learning opportunities rather than reasons to withdraw trust.

3. Strengthen Coaching Abilities

Effective delegation requires a coaching mindset that focuses on developing team capabilities over the long term. Offer mentoring opportunities to help team members grow in their roles. This could involve pairing senior team members with junior staff, overseeing stretch assignments, or employing formal mentorship programs.

As a leader, support team members through challenges, offering guidance without taking over. Adjust your coaching approach as team members gain confidence and experience.

4. Let Go of Micromanagement

Avoid focusing on the minutiae. Close observation requiring extensive, frequent, or unnecessary reporting of task details is antithetical to a delegating leadership style. Focus on outcomes rather than dictating processes to create space for creativity and personal work styles. When you’re tempted to intervene, pause and ask yourself if it’s truly necessary.

5. Develop Organizational Skills

The ability to prioritize tasks for urgency and importance is essential for effective delegation. Create systems for assigning and tracking delegated responsibilities that operate by efficient time and resource management. This might include project-management tools, regular status reports, or team dashboards that provide visibility without requiring constant check-ins.

Empower Teams with a Delegating Leadership Style

A delegating leadership style can be developed through consistent efforts rooted in its crucial elements. To further develop your delegating leadership skills, take advantage of CMOE’s leadership development programs, designed to help you master the art of delegation and become a more effective leader in today’s dynamic business environment.