In Episode 14 of Champion of the Underdog, leadership expert John Graci tackles one of the most common and misunderstood barriers to delegation: guilt.
Many leaders hesitate to delegate because they don’t want to “dump work” on their team. John challenges that thinking head-on, explaining that this guilt often comes from past experiences, being the go-to employee who was overused, under-supported, and eventually burned out. That experience may have shaped a promise leaders make to themselves: “When I’m in charge, I won’t do that to my people.”
But here’s the truth: avoiding delegation doesn’t protect your team; it limits them.
John explains that effective delegation isn’t exploitation; it’s development. When leaders fail to delegate, they deny team members opportunities to grow, stretch, and build skills. Worse, they often overload only the most cooperative employees, repeating the very pattern they once resented.
This short episode reframes delegation as an act of leadership, not selfishness, and challenges leaders to let go of misplaced guilt in favor of empowerment and accountability.
Key Takeaways:
John closes with a simple question every leader should ask themselves:
Am I really helping my team by not delegating?
And the answer is clear - no.
As always: If you’re not coaching it, you’re allowing it.
Resources & Links:
If you’re a leader, HR professional, or manager looking for no-nonsense strategies to keep your team engaged and high-performing, this episode is packed with insights you can use right away.
