Many of us struggle with delegating. We appreciate we need to ‘let go’ of certain things so that we can focus on what we should really be doing but sometimes it’s hard to know what that it is. When we move into a bigger management or leadership role, we can feel this even more acutely.

If you love something dearly, you want to hold it close, right. If you feel passionate about it being done well or having the impact it should have, are you going to find just ‘dropping it’ or ‘letting go’ easy? No, of course not.

Those very words ‘let go’ can trigger your sub-conscious brain, specifically your amygdala, to register threat, triggering cortisol to flood into your system. This causes your pulse to rise and your breathing rate to increase. Your ability to relate and connect with others decreases. Your ‘reptile brain’ takes over and basically says ‘No, shan’t, I’ve got to hang on to that!’ No wonder you struggle then to delegate effectively….

So what to do? Can we go about this in a different way?

Make no mistake, it is of course essential that we delegate to others. As we progress in our careers, we have to evolve into being what is required at that level. To grow as individuals, we also need to learn to let go. To manage day-to-day stresses, releasing and letting go of tension is essential.

May I invite you experiment with something? Instead of seeing whatever it is you need to delegate as something you have to ‘let go’ of, try visualising it as actually a process of ‘letting in’.

You’re letting in others so that they can show their value to you.
You are letting in others to that you can show how much you value them.

Just as we experience a warm glow of satisfaction from being needed, wanted and valued in our personal lives, the same is true of our professional. Letting in others to do some of the work you feel is yours to ‘control’ allows you the opportunity to let others feel this glow (and hopefully someone is also doing that for you!).