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Fight the Fear of Mistrust

Just as you may have to fight the fear of giving up power with delegation, you may also have to fight the fear of mistrust. If you don’t, you’ll find yourself micromanaging instead of delegating.

Doing a thorough assessment of your team is the first step in being sure you’ve made the right decisions in determining to whom you should delegate which responsibilities. If you’ve taken the time to assess and given it quality thought, you should be able to stop second-guessing yourself. You’ve made the best decision with the best information you have available. No one could do more.

But if you find yourself still having feelings of mistrust even after you’ve done your homework in assessing your team, ask yourself why. Are there any facts or observations about the person that supports your mistrust? Or is it just a strong intuition?

Of course we all have to go with the gut sometimes, so don’t dismiss a strong intuition, either. If you truly don’t trust someone’s capabilities, attitude, or loyalty, then don’t delegate to him. You’ll find yourself watching over his shoulder and doubting your own judgment.

But if your mistrust stems from your lack of confidence in your ability to delegate properly, then start small. Break the project down into manageable portions and give them out in succession, assigning the next task after the first has been completed to your satisfaction. This step-by-step approach will help to build your confidence in your employee and your own judgment.