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The Perfectionist’s Guide to Delegation
As a perfectionist, I used to fail miserably at delegating tasks. From group projects in school to work earlier in my career. I tried to take on everything and manage every task I felt I could handle.
While this made lazier teammates happy, it took its toll. Capable people were left without enough work to do, and I became the bottleneck for many tasks. I didn’t see it as an issue in school, but it became apparent in the work world quickly.
I had to learn how to properly delegate tasks, whether in a leadership role or in a team situation. Everyone has things they’re better or worse at, and I was no exception. The true inefficiency of being unable to delegate won’t show itself in small projects or with over-the-top timelines. Sometimes that thing you’re worse at is being available for the task.
Why Bother Delegating?
If I can do it better, why should I bother delegating?
This is the question I’ve asked, and I’ve heard asked by almost every other perfectionist. It’s an easy trap to fall into. I can, or at least think I can, do better than most people at most tasks related to my job. I pay more…
