John Adair's 100 Greatest Ideas for Effective Leadership

Idea 94: Delegating effectively

Select the type of work for delegation and consider to whom it can best be delegated.

Type of work	Delegation to enact
1 Technical/specialist work
a	a
b	b
c	c
2 Administrative/minor decisions
a	a
b	b
c	c
3 Where others are more qualified
a	a
b	b
c	c
4 Where staff development would result
a	a
b	b
c	c

The seven main reasons why CEOs do not delegate were revealed by research in five European countries to be:

1. It is risky.
2. We enjoy doing things.
3. We dare not sit and think.
4. It is a slow process.
5. We like to be ‘on top of everything’.
6. Will our subordinates outstrip us?
7. ‘Nobody can do it as well as I can.’