To cut to the chase…Is it you, or is it them? Micromanagement has no place in the current business environment. So why do I still witness so many leaders who are resistant to delegate?

Here’s how to create the right environment for successful delegation:

Develop trust 

When a leader doesn’t trust the team to accept the responsibility for important tasks or client accounts, delegation simply won’t happen. Is this lack of trust due to untrained employees? Not enough experience in the workforce? Or is it simply an unwillingness to let go?

I see leaders who are fully aware even minor mistakes in today’s business climate can cost customers and clients, and in their effort to maximize customer retention, they want to do everything critical themselves. At some point that trust in your team has to be developed; otherwise, the team will recognize your lack of faith in them.

Establish training programs

If the leader doesn’t trust the team, recognize what is missing and begin to develop those individuals who need to be able to handle these tasks. They won’t learn it by watching, nor will they be error-free, but learning must take place to develop the organization.

Set measurements

Measure their effectiveness with the most concerning tasks. By using measurements, the leader and the employee with have monitoring tools and goals to look at.

Kick the habit

Sometimes micro-managing (the inability to let go and delegate effectively) is simply a habit. People ready to accept those challenges need to be given the opportunity to prove themselves and grow. Become more solution-focused and less blame-focused and create a learning environment fertile for delegation.