'No rush' and other delegation phrases that guarantee failure

Happy Friday

As we get to the end of what many of us fondly (or not so fondly) call "Mad March," I've been thinking alot about how we manage demands on our time. It's that point in the term when the to-do lists seem to multiply overnight, parent meetings stack up, and strategic planning deadlines loom ever closer.

Sound familiar?

For years, I operated as what I'd now call a "polite delegator", making requests but immediately softening them: "Could you perhaps look at this when you have time? No rush..." I was reluctant to be direct about what I needed and when I needed it. The result? Tasks rarely completed as I'd imagined, and I'd find myself redoing work or staying late to finish things myself.

What changed for me was discovering a framework that completely transformed my approach to delegation. It helped me realise there's a whole spectrum between doing everything yourself and completely handing over responsibility.

I go in to detail on this framework in my latest Education Leaders podcast episode, but for now, let me share three crucial lessons I've learned:

Clarity is absolutely king. Most delegation disasters stem from ambiguity at the outset. Instead of vague requests, I now explicitly state the level of authority I'm granting. For example, rather than "Could you look at the curriculum review?", I'll say "I'd like you to prepare recommendations based on our assessment data and present them to me next month. I'll need to approve these before implementation." The difference in results is HUGE.

The subtle shifts matter most. One of my biggest wake-ups was understanding the differences between delegation styles. "Let me know what you intend to do and delay action until I approve" is a different ask to "let me know what you intend to do and do it unless I say not to." That tiny shift from requiring explicit approval to proceeding unless stopped creates a completely different dynamic, in this case one that builds trust and removes bottlenecks.

Different tasks require different approaches (even with the same person). I once worked with a brilliant learning technologist who was fantastic with design but less experienced with messaging. For technical aspects, I could say "just let me know if there's an issue" but for communications, we started with "recommend what you're going to put out for my approval." Over time, as he developed, I adjusted my approach accordingly. This progressive delegation not only got our job done but developed his skills and confidence.

As you go hell-for-leather during the final months of term, I challenge you to try being explicitly clear about your delegation expectations. Notice what happens when you're transparent about what you need and the level of autonomy you're granting.

I'd love to hear how it goes. Is delegation something you struggle with? Have you found approaches that work well in your context? Reply to this email and let me know, I might be able to help!

Here’s wishing you a restful weekend,

Shane

Here’s a few of my latest episodes to take you in to the weekend: