DEV Community

Cover image for Delegating Isn’t Ditching
Ctrl Zed
Ctrl Zed

Posted on • Originally published at leaddontctrl.com

Delegating Isn’t Ditching

Delegating Isn’t Ditching

You Can’t Hand Off a Mess and Call It Leadership

Let’s get one thing straight: delegation is not just yeeting tasks off your plate like you’re cleaning up for a surprise performance review.

If your idea of delegation is dropping an assignment on someone’s lap with zero context, no support, and a shrug that says “you got this,” congratulations, you’re not leading. You’re ditching.

And your team knows it.


The Dirty Truth About “Delegation”

Real talk? Most people in leadership positions aren’t delegating, they’re dodging. They pass off chaos, hope someone else sorts it out, and then act surprised when it doesn’t magically turn into a beautiful deck or a bug-free feature.

Delegation isn’t about doing less work.

It’s about doing different work.

More strategic. More supportive. More human.


What Real Delegation Looks Like

  • Clarity of Purpose

    Don’t just assign a task. Explain why it matters.

  • Clear Expectations

    Define success. No mind-reading allowed.

  • Ongoing Support

    Stay present. Don’t ghost.

  • Ownership, Not Abdication

    They own the task, you still own the outcome.

  • Debrief and Feedback

    Learn. Improve. Repeat.


👉 Want more no-BS leadership posts like this?

Read the full archive at leaddontctrl.com

Top comments (0)