Delegating Leadership Style: What Is It & When To Use It? – LifeHack

Delegating isn’t taking a backseat; it’s empowering. It’s a leader saying, “I trust you. Make this happen.” By giving team members the space to work independently and make their own decisions, you’re not just handing off tasks—you’re handing over the creative reins. You’re saying, “Surprise me. Show me a new way.” And guess what? People usually rise to the occasion when given a chance.It’s all about empowerment. The individual is allowed to make task-related decisions. They decide the “how” of getting to the destination. Nobody likes to be a small cog in a big machine, just spinning without purpose. Delegating leadership style flips the script. It transforms employees from mere task-doers to decision-makers, injecting a sense of autonomy into their workdays.By assigning tasks based on your team members’ strengths and expertise, tasks get completed more efficiently and to a higher standard. While they are focused on their respective areas, you can turn your attention to strategic oversight, long-term planning, or nurturing client relationships.

What Is a Delegating Leadership Style?

Under a delegating leadership style, your team isn’t just ticking off tasks on a to-do list; they are seizing new challenges, expanding their skills, and growing taller in their roles.In this style, the leader empowers an individual, or a team, to exercise autonomy. It’s like giving someone a canvas, the broad strokes of a painting, and saying, “I trust you to complete this masterpiece.”

When to Opt For a Delegating Leadership Style

Under Kranz’s delegating leadership style, the team overcame unforeseen challenges and ultimately led Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin to that historic moonwalk. It wasn’t Kranz who landed on the moon; it was his ability to delegate that empowered his team to make history.They provide the “big picture”. A clear vision is given, setting the direction. It’s like giving someone a map and trusting they’ll find the best route.Leaders set the direction—without it, teams might drift. While hands are off the wheel, the eyes are still on the road. Leaders are in the loop, available for guidance, and spotting when it’s time to step in or step back. While the capabilities of team members are a big factor in when to delegate, the leader’s role is crucial too. Here’s why:When communication flows more like a conversation between peers rather than orders from above, people talk – really talk. They share ideas, they listen, and they coordinate like a band that’s in tune with each other. That’s because this leadership style is built on trust—a two-way street where leaders trust the team to do their jobs and team members trust the leader’s vision.

In this landscape, the leader isn’t the sole decision-maker, the all-knowing oracle. No, the leader is more of a facilitator, the one who sets the stage, then steps back and lets the play unfold. It’s less about saying, “Here’s how we do it,” and more about asking, “How would you approach this?” Delegating leadership style breaks down the towering hierarchy and places the leader right alongside the team. It’s more about rolling up your sleeves and saying, “We’re in this together,” than pointing from a distance and saying, “Do this.”

The Power of a Delegating Leadership Style

Delegative leadership is like adding more horses to that cart, each sharing the load, each stepping in with fresh energy. Here, tasks aren’t piled on one person’s plate; they’re spread out, divided among team members. Everyone knows their role, but these roles aren’t set in stone. There’s flexibility.

1. Leverage Time

Delegating leadership style encourages a culture where risk-taking isn’t just allowed; it’s celebrated. It’s a green light for creativity. This kind of freedom is like oxygen for fresh, bold ideas. It allows employees to not just complete tasks but to explore, to try a new path, and to learn through doing.

Using a delegating leadership style is beneficial to the leader and the team in several ways:

This style of leadership doesn’t straightjacket people into one way of doing things. Instead, it allows for a rainbow of approaches. There’s room to breathe, to think, to experiment. Decisions can take unexpected, yet fruitful paths because people are encouraged to apply their unique perspectives and creativity.

6. Prevent Burnout

Great leadership isn’t about gripping control; it’s about inspiring it in others. Let’s start with something we all wish we had more of: time.