As a senior leader, your calendar is packed, and the decisions you have to make are many. But not every call should be yours to make. To lead effectively—and sustainably—you need to delegate the right decisions to the right people. Ask these four questions to figure out what to hand off, and to whom.
Who’s closest to the action? If someone on your team has direct, timely insight into the issue at hand—like a frontline engineer or client-facing manager—they’re better positioned to decide. Proximity is a form of expertise. Let them lead.
Have we made this decision before? If the answer is yes, consider making it routine. Set up clear criteria, document the process, and hand it off. This saves time and builds team autonomy.
Could someone else offer a better perspective? Just because you’re senior in the organization doesn’t mean you always see the full picture. If someone else has lived experience or technical knowledge you lack, give them the decision-making power.
Where is work stuck? If a project is stalled because no one feels authorized to move it forward, that’s your cue. Empower someone to take ownership and restore momentum. |
