Delegating or babysitting?

One of the biggest jobs of a manager is delegation.

Because if every decision has to come back to you,
your organization can't really grow.

Of course, effective delegation doesn't begin with delegation.

It begins with onboarding:

• Helping someone understand how you do things.

• Giving them context.

• Teaching them what "good" looks like.

• Answering questions while the stakes are still low.

But it doesn't end there.

It continues through ongoing investment:

• Regular conversations.

• Feedback.

• Encouragement.

• More context as their responsibilities grow.

Skip those investments, and something weird happens.

You still think you're delegating.
But you're probably babysitting.

Every decision comes back to you.
Every task needs reassurance.
Every mistake becomes evidence that "I guess I just have to do it myself."

The funny thing is...

Babysitting often feels cheaper than good onboarding …

Right up until you realize you've been answering the same questions over and over for the past six months.

All the best,
A.