Delegation Dilemma: Why Leaders Struggle and How Capacity Helps
Delegation is a great way to increase one’s capacity.
Delegation Dilemma: Why Leaders Struggle and How Capacity Helps
Delegation is often praised as one of the most powerful leadership tools, yet many leaders hesitate to use it effectively. It’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking, “It’s faster if I do it myself,” or, “I can’t trust someone else to get it right.” While these thoughts may seem valid in the moment, over time they take a toll, not just on your productivity, but on your capacity.
When leaders struggle with delegation, they unknowingly limit their ability to lead strategically. Every task you hold onto is a piece of your capacity spent on what could have been handled elsewhere. And the cost? Less time for big-picture thinking, slower team growth, and ultimately, stalled momentum.
The Real Issue Isn’t Time, It’s Capacity
Most leaders believe they don’t delegate because they don’t have time to train others or explain what needs to be done. But the truth is, it’s not a time issue, it’s a capacity issue.
Capacity is your ability to direct your effort and attention toward strategic initiatives. When you’re tied up in tasks that could be delegated, your capacity shrinks. You’re busy, but not effective.
By holding onto tasks, you limit your ability to lead, mentor, and drive meaningful progress. Delegation isn’t about offloading work, it’s about reclaiming capacity so you can focus on higher-value responsibilities.
Why Delegation Feels Hard
There are common reasons leaders hesitate to delegate:
Perfectionism: Fear that the task won’t be done “just right.”
Speed: Belief that explaining takes longer than doing.
Control: Comfort in knowing every detail is handled personally.
Trust: Doubts about team members’ ability or readiness.
These are valid concerns, but they’re also signs of a capacity bottleneck.
How Capacity Changes the Delegation Game
When you approach delegation through the lens of capacity, everything shifts. It’s no longer just about getting tasks off your platter, it’s about strategically investing in your team and elevating your leadership.
Here’s how:
Prioritize what only you can do, and delegate the rest.
Develop your team’s capacity by giving them ownership.
Redirect your effort to tasks that add strategic value.
Delegation becomes less about trust, and more about alignment. It’s aligning your responsibilities with your capacity to lead, and aligning your team’s growth with their capacity to take on more.
Ready to Reclaim Your Capacity?
If delegation has felt like a struggle, it’s time to rethink how you’re using your capacity. Delegation is one of the most powerful ways to expand it.
In Capacity: The New Advantage, I share practical strategies to help leaders like you remodel how you work, so you can delegate with confidence, lead with intention, and achieve more without compromise. Grab your copy of Capacity: The New Advantage today and start reshaping how you lead, and how your team thrives.