Welcome back to Cardcast! Today, we’re going to be talking about Delegation vs Abdication
This card was born out of a conversation with a COO who asked whether a task had been delegated or abdicated. That distinction hit me hard, because I’ve seen abdication disguised as delegation many times. It shows up when leaders toss something off their desk and pretend it’s no longer their responsibility.
The key difference here is accountability. I can hand off a task, a problem, or even a project, but I can’t hand off my accountability for the outcome—unless I’m doing a true handover to a peer. When you abdicate, you’re really creating a scapegoat, setting someone up to fail while excusing yourself if it doesn’t work out.
Delegation, on the other hand, is an invitation to collaborate: “This is my accountability, and I’d like your help in delivering it.”
When done well, delegation strengthens trust and performance. When done poorly, abdication undermines both. The challenge—and the opportunity—is to hold onto accountability while giving others meaningful responsibility, so they know I’ve got their back as they deliver.
Key-Card points:
Delegation vs Abdication
Accountability stays with the leader
Delegation requires support
Cultivating collaboration
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