In my research on delegation, and in the books that I've read and the blogs, comments and bits I've read on the internet, as well as the knowledge I've gained around business people of all shapes, sizes and persuasions, the story rarely starts with ‘why’. Usually anything on delegation starts with ‘how’.

I'll dwell on this a little as I believe it is important and, moreover, in the ‘why’ lies the crux of the motivation to get it right. If we dive straight into thinking about how, or who, we are more likely to be delegating because we can or because we ought and less because we have thought through the true benefits: to us as delegating individuals, to them as individuals being delegated to, to it as an entity (be it a business, team, family, department or organization).

In our delegation plan, we start with ‘why’, and cover ‘what’ and ‘who’ after we tackle the ‘why’. I find this as a process much more effective in establishing the delegation habit and forming clarity on its benefits directly to the individual, which in turn cements and promulgates the habit itself.

So, at the outset, whether you are reviewing your delegation methodology, strategy or simply thinking about delegating for the first time, either to a new leader or as a business person, it is vital you start with the question ‘Why?’ Why, as in, ‘What's in it for me?’ even if it is growth for someone else. The reason for this is that we are programmed to be egocentric and so if you start with the benefits to you, and keep reminding yourself of what your delegation aims to achieve for you (even when it's hard work and even if or when it goes wrong) then you are more likely to stick with it and work to establish the habit.

Often when I work with clients, it is rare, even as a one-man band, that they delegate nothing at all. More often, anyone I work with delegates something. In employment, even those who are yet to manage a team of their own delegate their IT to the IT department if they think about it laterally enough. The self-employed rarely do their own accounts, for example, and even if they run their own accounting business and they do everything, they usually have or have had a cleaner or a gardener, or, if we have to push it, a builder, plumber or electrician because they understand the associated peace of mind and benefits of ‘outsourcing’ or, in practice, delegation. They do this because they instinctively – even if they don't think about it too much – understand the benefits such things bring; even if there is a price to pay for the plus side, the value outweighs it and the decision to delegate is made and so a habit starts to form.

The ‘why’ then, in truth, is a very personal thing – that's important. Having an ulterior motive is okay here. In fact, it is essential. It doesn't have to be complicated, nor does it have to be secret. As I say throughout this book, honesty and open communication are fundamental aspects of successful delegation. We all need to know why and we all need to know why should I – as in ‘Why should I delegate?’ and ‘Why should I receive this delegation/delegated responsibility?’ – and if the benefits to all parties involved are clear (NB. the more personal the better here) then the more successful the process of delegation is likely to be.

It may also be helpful at this juncture to form a case for ‘why not’, as in ‘Why not delegate?’ In case it needs saying out loud: what are the consequences of not delegating? So if you ask yourself, ‘Why am I not delegating, either at all or not enough?’ then I can think of a number of arguments to hang onto your workload:

• You retain more control.
• You retain more ownership (of style, IP, profits).
• You are gainfully/fully employed.
• Much less and possibly nothing gets done when you are ill/away/on holiday.
• You get to do repetitive tasks.
• You remain confined by your own capacity.

You may have more to add. Likely phrases that ultimately end up meaning the same as the above are:

• ‘I'm a control freak.’
• ‘I like to make sure things are done my way.’
• ‘No one else can do it like me.’
• ‘I'm not prepared to take the risk of things going wrong or not getting done.’
• ‘I might make myself redundant.’
• ‘What would I do then?’
• ‘My business is too little.’
• ‘I can't afford it.’
• ‘I've done it before and it didn't work.’
• ‘You just can't get the staff!’ or ‘I'd never find anyone I could trust.’

A downside of playing the superman card, or endeavouring to do everything, is that if you're operating to capacity and a new opportunity or a problem comes up, you may have to pass on the former to accommodate the latter. (NB: This can happen even if you are a good delegator and prone to keeping busy – it happens to me as I am inclined to be very nosy and interested in picking up new projects.) This, however, is more a case of time management, when something comes up (even if at first it is a problem), I'm still largely choosing to deprioritize something I love doing for something else I love doing. When the proverbial matter hits the fan in the life of a poor delegator, he or she ends up giving up something they'd like to do for stuff they'd rather not take on.

Note I presented consequences and not advantages here. The top three can probably loosely be construed as advantages if that floats your boat; and if it does, good (though you're probably reading the wrong book). And anyway, how many times have you heard someone preferring to have a smaller portion of something larger?

Hopefully, then, aside from this, the preceding chapters have given sufficient food for thought, if not direct incentive to get on with delegating; if not, or you're just dipping in here, let's summarize.

There's value in delegation. I believe, and am living proof of the fact – that delegation frees up time and head space enough to enable strategic and creative thinking about how to generate growth and wealth in business. If you're a business owner then the wealth generated is yours; if you're employed then generating growth/or other cost-saving initiatives for the business is always a good thing; but more pertinently to the individual, if you delegate well as a manager then you are naturally more available to your colleagues and superiors and developing your own skill set and career prospects, which naturally adds to your personal worth, value and wealth.

There are other benefits which we've touched on in addition to value but, in short, more time leads to more choice, about everything, one chooses what one wants to do (because everything else can and actually should be delegated to someone more suited to that responsibility), one plays to one's strengths – which leads to a happier individual and all the residual benefits transferred to those around them. In addition, when stress or pressure is relieved, we all recognize the ability to ‘think straight’, or, as we said above, more strategically or creatively. We all recognize the need to look after ourselves, physically and mentally, and yet at times we are, especially if we're ambitious, inclined to disregard this fact and plough on regardless. This often less productive way of working then reduces our innate ability to perform well, and leads to the potential for repeated mistakes, lack of progress or generally knowing in our hearts that we are not performing to our best potential. Even if others don't so much notice, this still takes its toll on self-confidence, which often means we work harder, push ourselves too much and continue to perform less well as a consequence, thus forming a circle of decline and creating a negative feedback cycle. So to avoid this and look after ourselves properly, to have time to think about our life's direction at home and at work, we can't be overloaded – and to unload, one way or another, is to delegate. A great part of my personal ‘why’ – as well as adding value and growth to the businesses I am involved in – was to spend time with my children and look after my health. Feeling good is an essential part of performing well – at anything: parenthood, fitness and exercise, partnership as well as management, teamwork and business.

However, you get to your why: what do you want, what do you do best, what do you not like doing, what would you like to start, what would you like to grow, sell or see, my advice is to indulge yourself and enjoy the process of deciding what you're going to get out of delegation. The clearer you are about ‘What's in it for me?’, the more likely you are to be motivated to get it right.

Treat the process of deciding your ‘why’ like a bucket list or a lottery win, make a list or know it in your heart: how will you spend more time (and/or more money)?