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But I must explain to you how all this mistaken idea of denouncing pleasure and praising pain was born and I will give you a complete account of the system, and expound the actual teachings of the great explorer of the truth, the master-builder of human happiness.

No one rejects, dislikes, or avoids pleasure itself, because it is pleasure, but because those who do not know how to pursue pleasure rationally encounter consequences that are extremely painful.

What It Means To Delegate

Nor again is there anyone who loves or pursues or desires to obtain pain of itself, because it is pain, but because occasionally circumstances occur in which toil and pain can procure him some great pleasure.

To take a trivial example, which of us ever undertakes laborious physical exercise, except to obtain some advantage from it? But who has any right to find fault with a man who chooses to enjoy a pleasure that has no annoying consequences, or one who avoids a pain that produces no resultant pleasure?

Sed Ut Perspiciatis Unde Omnis Iste Natus Error

Delegation can be as much about helping your team grow as it can be about helping yourself grow. It’s certainly more of an art than it is a specific, always-do-it-this-way formula. Here are some questions you can ask yourself to help you decide if and what to delegate, and to whom:

  • Is the person meeting expectations? If not, is there anything on my plate that could help them learn whatever they need to better meet expectations? Or, does delegating to them jeopardize their success in their current role?
  • Where does this person want to go, and how do they want to grow? What is on my plate that will help them?
  • What am I really good at that I might find hard to delegate and, therefore, probably should?
  • What am I not so good at that would be better done by someone else, without forcing someone else to do my job for me?
  • Am I at a senior level and spending more time “doing” than thinking, discussing and deciding? If so, I’m likely doing work that I’ve hung on to as I’ve progressed my career and it’s time to let go.

It can also be helpful to just let folks opt in. “Here are some things on my plate … if you want to own any of this or help, let me know!”

Reading List
  • To Be a Great Leader, You Have to Learn How to Delegate Well- HBR
  • 7 Strategies for Delegating Better and Getting More Done- Inc.
  • 8 Habits Of Leaders Who Know How To Delegate- Fast Company

The Goal Of Delegation

Delegation should feel like a gift, not one more thing causing yet another long day or
meaningless project.
The end goal of delegation is to leave the person to whom you delegated feeling
like this: