The day I realized I wasn’t empowering my team, I was slowing them down

One of the biggest shifts I’ve made in my journey was learning what delegation in leadership truly means. At the time, I believed I was empowering my team.

I was slowing them down.

I once asked a team member why something hadn’t been done.

Their response hit me harder than I expected:

“I thought you still wanted to approve it before I moved forward.”

That one sentence revealed two things:

1. I hadn’t delegated — I’d just offloaded the task
2. I was still holding onto control, quietly slowing them down

In the moment, I believed I was being helpful, present, available, and involved. But in reality, that presence created hesitation. What I intended as support came across as second-guessing. As a result, decisions stalled, and hidden bottlenecks took shape.

That moment forced me to ask:

Am I leading this project—or limiting it?

Since that realization, I’ve changed how I delegate. Along the way, it’s been a journey of learning and growth.

My 3-Step Delegation in Leadership Framework

1. Delegation is not task transfer.
   • It’s a transfer of ownership and confidence.
2. People don’t just need permission—they need clarity.
   • If someone hesitates to act, it’s usually because I haven’t clarified the finish line.
3. Over-involvement feels like support but often lands as mistrust.
   • If I hover, I’m telling the team I don’t believe they’ve got it.

Now, when I hand something off, I check three things:

• Who owns the outcome?
• Do they feel empowered to ship without my input?
• Have I defined what success looks like—clearly and simply?

If I can’t answer those, I’m not delegating.

I’m micromanaging.

Leadership isn’t about doing more.

• It’s about trusting better.
• It’s about building people who build things without you.

What was a leadership moment that changed how you show up?

👇 I’d love to hear yours in the comments.

About the Author

I’m Richard Naimy – a strategic advisor to founders and operating leaders navigating growth, complexity, and innovation. I write for ambitious professionals who want to build smarter, scale faster, and lead with clarity.

I write about:

• AI Strategy
• COO Ops & Systems
• Growth Strategy (B2B & B2C)
• Leadership & Team Building
• Personal Journey
• Sales Strategy
• SEO & Digital Marketing

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