Connecting to Admired Leadership

When to Delegate a Decision

Episode Summary

A conversation with Bryan Downey, Executive Coach and Managing Director at CRA | Admired Leadership, exploring the art of delegating decisions effectively. Bryan shares insights on how leaders can determine what to delegate, to whom, and with what level of oversight, while using delegation as a powerful tool for team development and organizational performance.

Episode Notes

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Key Highlights

• Understanding delegation as a strategic decision: - Delegation is itself a decision, not an abdication of leadership - Effective delegation serves as a performance multiplier for organizations - The best delegators view it as a developmental tool, not just time management
• What leaders should never delegate: - Strategy and strategic direction - Talent decisions for direct reports - Material legal or regulatory matters - Anything related to organizational character and values - Delivering bad news
• Framework for effective delegation: - Consider the strategic importance of the decision - Assess the urgency and reversibility of the decision - Evaluate team member capabilities and experience - Identify learning opportunities for team development
• Follow-up cadence after delegation: - Adjust based on the importance and urgency of the decision - Consider the experience level of the person you're delegating to - Focus on process over outcomes when evaluating results - Create psychological safety when mistakes happen

Notable Quotes

• "Deciding to delegate a decision is still a decision. You're not giving up decisiveness by delegating."
• "You're robbing yourself of free time to think strategically, robbing yourself of the force multiplier of other perspectives, and robbing individuals of developmental opportunities by not delegating."
• "As you get further in your career, you really start to have more of a focus on what your legacy is going to be, and your legacy is going to be the people."
• "Don't focus on the outcome. Focus on the process and how we got to this point."
• "The number one thing you never want to do to your leaders is give them work to do. You want to be taking work off their desk."

Featured Speaker

Bryan Downey is an Executive Coach and Managing Director at CRA | Admired Leadership with over 20 years of experience as a corporate executive, including roles as CEO and President in both public and private organizations. He specializes in helping leaders develop their decision-making capabilities and maximize their impact through effective delegation and team development.

Resources Mentioned

• Field Note: "When to Delegate a Decision"
• Jeff Bezos's approach to delegation using "one-way door" vs. "two-way door" decisions
• Style Code Webinar Series on executive presence
• Alex - Admired Leadership's AI executive coach