Skip to main content.

So You Think You're a Delegator?

Answer each statement with the corresponding number using this code:

1 = always
2 = sometimes
3 = never

_____

I find that my employees consistently look for ways to relieve the pressure that top management faces — without being asked.

_____

I'm free to "think big" because my colleagues and employees handle all the daily operational stuff.

_____

As my department continues to grow, I'm totally comfortable letting go and putting others in charge of pieces of my business — rather than clinging to control.

_____

I prefer to spend 30 minutes training an employee to do a new task than just doing it myself in five minutes.

_____

I say to an employee "Let me show you how to do that" far more than I think to myself "If I don't do it, it won't get done right."

_____

I look for opportunities to praise my managers for delegating to their workers.

Review your answers. If your total score is 6-8, then you're an excellent delegator. Hopefully this online guide has reinforced much of what you're already doing and introduced you to some new techniques.

If your score is 9-14, you're on the road to becoming an effective delegator. But you need to raise your awareness and make a more concerted effort to coach others to plug holes and take on more responsibility.

For those who score over 14, you're not alone. And you're honest! Many supervisors need to confront the fact that they just can't do it all, and that assigning jobs to others is a vital part of running an efficient department or organization.