Delegate Effectively
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Delegation often gets a bad reputation — especially in households where one person is used to “just doing it all.” But real delegation isn’t about dumping tasks on others. It’s about collaboration so that everyone has the opportunity to contribute in meaningful ways.
Any other control freaks out there? You're not alone. One of the toughest parts of delegating for me is letting others complete tasks their way, which is often differently than I would do it. Yes, they may load the dishwasher differently. Fold the towels “wrong.” Miss a spot. But the goal of delegation is not perfection — it’s shared responsibility. Letting others do things their way (within reason) builds trust and confidence, especially with kids.
When I managed an office team and found myself struggling with delegation, here are the 2 questions that helped me the most:
What tasks can I delegate to a team member that either match their skill set or would support their continued growth? Sometimes we think of delegation as shirking responsibility, but teaching someone a new skill and then watching them thrive is a positive experience for all involved. You could actually be holding back another family member from growth or showcasing their strengths if you don’t delegate. Thinking about delegation from that perspective can help alleviate feelings of guilt you might have about asking others to take on additional responsibilities.
What tasks are appropriate to delegate to various skill-levels? Just because you know how to do something, doesn't mean you should be the one doing it. In the workplace, the goal is often to align the type of labor with the appropriate job-level or skill set. You can look at your household through a similar lens to help identify tasks that can be completed by others (this is particularly helpful when delegating tasks to children of different ages). For example, my 5th grader can't pay bills but she can feed the dog or set the table, so those tasks would be appropriate to delegate.
To make delegated tasks visible to your household, use my template below, or a shared task list app (I love the Skylight calendar task list feature.)
I invite you to give delegation a try by completing the 10-Minute Challenge below!
10-Minute Challenge:
(If you haven’t completed the Responsibility Chart on the Defining Responsibilities post, I recommend you complete that activity first.)
Review each task for your household one-by-one and ask yourself the 2 questions above to help you identify tasks that should be delegated.
Discuss any recommended changes with other adults/decision-makers in your household and make updates to the Responsibility Chart accordingly. You can review changes with the rest of your household at your next Weekly Meeting.
