{"id":61199,"date":"2025-09-10T15:48:08","date_gmt":"2025-09-10T15:48:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mindtools.wpenginepowered.com\/?p=61199"},"modified":"2025-11-17T10:47:43","modified_gmt":"2025-11-17T10:47:43","slug":"why-managers-need-to-rethink-delegation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.mindtools.com\/blog\/why-managers-need-to-rethink-delegation\/","title":{"rendered":"Why managers need to rethink delegation"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>At first glance, delegation seems straightforward: a manager assigns a task, frees up time, and creates a development opportunity for their team. But new insights from Mindtools\u2019 research show it\u2019s rarely that simple.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In a recent article for Training Industry, our Head of Research and Insights, Dr. Anna Barnett, explores the hidden psychology that shapes the way managers delegate. Sometimes decisions can be influenced by subtle fears and motivations, such as the desire to protect reputation, avoid risk, or hold on to control.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This matters, because when delegation becomes skewed by unconscious drivers, the impact on performance, trust and team morale can be significant. For example:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Over-delegation vs. under-delegation.<\/strong> Managers may pass on the toughest jobs but cling to easier ones, creating a mismatch between capability and responsibility.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Bias and shortcuts<\/strong>. Familiarity or assumptions about competence can mean some team members are overloaded while others miss out on growth opportunities.&nbsp;<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Trust erosion. <\/strong>When tasks aren\u2019t distributed fairly, resentment builds, confidence dips, and team dynamics quietly weaken.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The good news is that these patterns aren\u2019t fixed. With the right support, managers can learn to recognize the unconscious factors influencing their choices. This will help them reframe delegation as a tool for development and inclusion, and build fairer, more resilient teams.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Delegation is more than a productivity tactic. Done thoughtfully, it\u2019s a powerful lever for learning, culture and long-term success. As Anna highlights, this isn\u2019t about reinventing delegation &#8211; it\u2019s about re-examining it.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You can read the full article on Training Industry here: <a href=\"https:\/\/trainingindustry.com\/articles\/leadership\/using-the-psychology-of-delegation-to-improve-team-outcomes\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><em>Using the Psychology of Delegation to Improve Team Outcomes.<\/em><\/a><em><\/em>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>At Mindtools, we\u2019re proud to see our experts contributing to respected industry platforms, helping to shape conversations that matter to L&amp;D and HR professionals.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you\u2019d like to explore how we can help your managers develop the skills to delegate with confidence and fairness, our experts are here for a no-obligation conversation.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n<div \n    class=\"bb-buttons-block bb-buttons-block--align-  \"\n>\n\t\n<a\n\thref=\"https:\/\/www.mindtools.com\/talk-to-the-team\/\"\t\t\tclass=\"\n        bb-button bb-button-- \n        bb-button-- \n         \n                        \"\n\tstyle=\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\"\n>Talk to the team\n<\/a>\n\n\n\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In a recent article for Training Industry, our Head of Research and Insights, Dr. Anna Barnett, explores the hidden psychology that shapes the way managers delegate.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":87,"featured_media":61201,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1834,1922,205,1835,49],"tags":[],"reading-time":[],"topic":[],"class_list":["post-61199","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-business-skills","category-company-news","category-decision-making","category-leadership-and-management","category-team-management"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v26.2 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Why managers need to rethink delegation - Mindtools<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.mindtools.com\/blog\/why-managers-need-to-rethink-delegation\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_GB\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Why managers need to rethink delegation - Mindtools\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"In a recent article for Training Industry, our Head of Research and Insights, Dr. Anna Barnett, explores the hidden psychology that shapes the way managers delegate.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.mindtools.com\/blog\/why-managers-need-to-rethink-delegation\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Mindtools\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2025-09-10T15:48:08+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-11-17T10:47:43+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.mindtools.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Delegation-article-pr-thumbnail.png\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1503\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"816\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/png\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Mindtools\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Mindtools\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Estimated reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"2 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.mindtools.com\/blog\/why-managers-need-to-rethink-delegation\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.mindtools.com\/blog\/why-managers-need-to-rethink-delegation\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Mindtools\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.ewnova.live\/#\/schema\/person\/a336bbc94b29ab1a3b27af9ca86edbbf\"},\"headline\":\"Why managers need to rethink delegation\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-09-10T15:48:08+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-11-17T10:47:43+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.mindtools.com\/blog\/why-managers-need-to-rethink-delegation\/\"},\"wordCount\":339,\"commentCount\":0,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.ewnova.live\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.mindtools.com\/blog\/why-managers-need-to-rethink-delegation\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.mindtools.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Delegation-article-pr-thumbnail.png\",\"articleSection\":[\"Business Skills\",\"Company News\",\"Decision Making\",\"Leadership and Management\",\"Team Management\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.mindtools.com\/blog\/why-managers-need-to-rethink-delegation\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.mindtools.com\/blog\/why-managers-need-to-rethink-delegation\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.mindtools.com\/blog\/why-managers-need-to-rethink-delegation\/\",\"name\":\"Why managers need to rethink delegation - Mindtools\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.ewnova.live\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.mindtools.com\/blog\/why-managers-need-to-rethink-delegation\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.mindtools.com\/blog\/why-managers-need-to-rethink-delegation\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.mindtools.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Delegation-article-pr-thumbnail.png\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-09-10T15:48:08+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-11-17T10:47:43+00:00\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.mindtools.com\/blog\/why-managers-need-to-rethink-delegation\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.mindtools.com\/blog\/why-managers-need-to-rethink-delegation\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.mindtools.com\/blog\/why-managers-need-to-rethink-delegation\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.mindtools.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Delegation-article-pr-thumbnail.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.mindtools.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Delegation-article-pr-thumbnail.png\",\"width\":1503,\"height\":816},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.mindtools.com\/blog\/why-managers-need-to-rethink-delegation\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/www.mindtools.com\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Why managers need to rethink delegation\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.ewnova.live\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.ewnova.live\/\",\"name\":\"Mindtools\",\"description\":\"Essential skills for an excellent career\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.ewnova.live\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/www.mindtools.com\/search-results?start=1&search={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.ewnova.live\/#organization\",\"name\":\"Mindtools\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.ewnova.live\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.ewnova.live\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.mindtools.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Mindtools-logo-Black.svg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/www.mindtools.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Mindtools-logo-Black.svg\",\"width\":160,\"height\":28,\"caption\":\"Mindtools\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.ewnova.live\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\"}},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.ewnova.live\/#\/schema\/person\/a336bbc94b29ab1a3b27af9ca86edbbf\",\"name\":\"Mindtools\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.ewnova.live\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/cdd93830acd0830d9499ff11913f8e624a80ab119234921794c42d50032b7695?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/cdd93830acd0830d9499ff11913f8e624a80ab119234921794c42d50032b7695?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Mindtools\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\/\/mindtools.com\"]}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Why managers need to rethink delegation - Mindtools","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/www.mindtools.com\/blog\/why-managers-need-to-rethink-delegation\/","og_locale":"en_GB","og_type":"article","og_title":"Why managers need to rethink delegation - Mindtools","og_description":"In a recent article for Training Industry, our Head of Research and Insights, Dr. Anna Barnett, explores the hidden psychology that shapes the way managers delegate.","og_url":"https:\/\/www.mindtools.com\/blog\/why-managers-need-to-rethink-delegation\/","og_site_name":"Mindtools","article_published_time":"2025-09-10T15:48:08+00:00","article_modified_time":"2025-11-17T10:47:43+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1503,"height":816,"url":"https:\/\/www.mindtools.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Delegation-article-pr-thumbnail.png","type":"image\/png"}],"author":"Mindtools","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Mindtools","Estimated reading time":"2 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/www.mindtools.com\/blog\/why-managers-need-to-rethink-delegation\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.mindtools.com\/blog\/why-managers-need-to-rethink-delegation\/"},"author":{"name":"Mindtools","@id":"https:\/\/www.ewnova.live\/#\/schema\/person\/a336bbc94b29ab1a3b27af9ca86edbbf"},"headline":"Why managers need to rethink delegation","datePublished":"2025-09-10T15:48:08+00:00","dateModified":"2025-11-17T10:47:43+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.mindtools.com\/blog\/why-managers-need-to-rethink-delegation\/"},"wordCount":339,"commentCount":0,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.ewnova.live\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.mindtools.com\/blog\/why-managers-need-to-rethink-delegation\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.mindtools.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Delegation-article-pr-thumbnail.png","articleSection":["Business Skills","Company News","Decision Making","Leadership and Management","Team Management"],"inLanguage":"en-GB","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/www.mindtools.com\/blog\/why-managers-need-to-rethink-delegation\/#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.mindtools.com\/blog\/why-managers-need-to-rethink-delegation\/","url":"https:\/\/www.mindtools.com\/blog\/why-managers-need-to-rethink-delegation\/","name":"Why managers need to rethink delegation - Mindtools","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.ewnova.live\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.mindtools.com\/blog\/why-managers-need-to-rethink-delegation\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.mindtools.com\/blog\/why-managers-need-to-rethink-delegation\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.mindtools.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Delegation-article-pr-thumbnail.png","datePublished":"2025-09-10T15:48:08+00:00","dateModified":"2025-11-17T10:47:43+00:00","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.mindtools.com\/blog\/why-managers-need-to-rethink-delegation\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-GB","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.mindtools.com\/blog\/why-managers-need-to-rethink-delegation\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-GB","@id":"https:\/\/www.mindtools.com\/blog\/why-managers-need-to-rethink-delegation\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/www.mindtools.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Delegation-article-pr-thumbnail.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.mindtools.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Delegation-article-pr-thumbnail.png","width":1503,"height":816},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.mindtools.com\/blog\/why-managers-need-to-rethink-delegation\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.mindtools.com\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Why managers need to rethink delegation"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.ewnova.live\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.ewnova.live\/","name":"Mindtools","description":"Essential skills for an excellent career","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.ewnova.live\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.mindtools.com\/search-results?start=1&search={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-GB"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/www.ewnova.live\/#organization","name":"Mindtools","url":"https:\/\/www.ewnova.live\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-GB","@id":"https:\/\/www.ewnova.live\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/www.mindtools.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Mindtools-logo-Black.svg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.mindtools.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Mindtools-logo-Black.svg","width":160,"height":28,"caption":"Mindtools"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.ewnova.live\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"}},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/www.ewnova.live\/#\/schema\/person\/a336bbc94b29ab1a3b27af9ca86edbbf","name":"Mindtools","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-GB","@id":"https:\/\/www.ewnova.live\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/cdd93830acd0830d9499ff11913f8e624a80ab119234921794c42d50032b7695?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/cdd93830acd0830d9499ff11913f8e624a80ab119234921794c42d50032b7695?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Mindtools"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/mindtools.com"]}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mindtools.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/61199","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mindtools.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mindtools.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mindtools.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/87"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mindtools.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=61199"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.mindtools.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/61199\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mindtools.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/61201"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.mindtools.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=61199"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mindtools.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=61199"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mindtools.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=61199"},{"taxonomy":"reading-time","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mindtools.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/reading-time?post=61199"},{"taxonomy":"topic","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.mindtools.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/topic?post=61199"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}