10 Questions to Determine if You’re a Good Delegator

I’m not very good at delegating. I have to work at it. One of the ways I do so is to keep these questions in mind as I evaluate my leadership: 

  1. Who are the people I’m equipping to do ministry beyond me? If I can’t name anyone, I’m probably not the best at delegating. I probably hold on to too much.
  2. Am I following up behind people to make sure they’ve done things the way I want them done? If so, I’m still using my time unwisely. It’s one thing to hold people accountable; it’s another thing to constantly “fix” their work.
  3. Do others who know me well remind me that I need to delegate more? My wife is especially helpful here, and Thom Rainer is a model for me. I just need to listen to them more.
  4. If the Lord calls me home today, will the work of my ministry continue without much delay or hindrance? As a pastor and a seminary dean, I must ask this question in light of both ministry responsibilities. If the work stops because I’m not here, I’ve made myself too much the center of the ministries.
  5. Do I believe I can do most things I do better than anyone else can? My head wants to answer “no” to that question, but integrity demands that I recognize my arrogance. Pride keeps me from delegating at times.
  6. Do I utilize well the efforts of my administrative and research assistants? They want to help me—in fact, they’re fully committed to that work—but I often fail to lean on them like I should.
  7. Do I ever let others know (either subtly or directly) how busy I am? If I do, my motive is probably not pure; and, it likely reflects the fact that I’m carrying too much of the weight myself.
  8. Do I sometimes get lost in the details when I should be casting vision more? I’m naturally a detail person, so I have to fight this tendency in order to do my jobs well. I stop casting vision when I’m always in the weeds.
  9. Do I often redirect my team’s thinking or decisions? If I ask for their input but often revise it, I’m not trusting the people to whom I need to delegate.
  10. Am I just overwhelmed in general with my responsibilities? If so, I’ve either made too many commitments or I’m delegating far too little. Either one is a problem.

Want to read more about delegation? Check out these posts:

12 Reasons Why Church Leaders Don’t Delegate

10 Steps toward Delegating . . . One Task at a Time

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