|
Delegation: The Why
Issue #425, June 17, 2026
If delegation is hard work and doing the work myself is easier, why should I delegate tasks to others? Consider the story from the early church:
1 In those days when the number of disciples was increasing, the Hellenistic Jews among them complained against the Hebraic Jews because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food. 2 So the Twelve gathered all the disciples together and said, “It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God in order to wait on tables. 3 Brothers and sisters, choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will turn this responsibility over to them 4 and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word.” 5 This proposal pleased the whole group. They chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit; also Philip, Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas from Antioch, a convert to Judaism. 6 They presented these men to the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them. 7 So the word of God spread. The number of disciples in Jerusalem increased rapidly, and a large number of priests became obedient to the faith (Acts 6:1-7, NIV).
We can learn several things about delegation as we reflect on this story.
Delegation strengthens people.
As the seven men who were selected picked up additional responsibility, they developed greater administrative skills, sharpened their communication ability and grew in their thinking and problem-solving capacity. Their leadership potential was developed because the apostles believed in them and were willing to delegate responsibilities that brought growth.
Some leaders delegate simply to get the work done and help the organization succeed. But serving leaders delegate because it helps people grow. They look for tasks that will help that person grow into their full potential.
Delegation strengthens the organization.
“So the word of God spread. The number of disciples in Jerusalem increased rapidly...” The work that was delegated by the apostles allowed strengths to function more effectively and improved the quality of the work. At the same time, it increased the impact of the early church in terms of quantity. When leaders are developed, organizations are strengthened.
Some leaders seek to strengthen their organization by adding more people to the team. But serving leaders strengthen their organization by investing in their team. They recognize that God’s design is not for only one person to excel but for teams to function effectively as tasks are delegated to the right individuals.
Delegation strengthens the leadership pipeline.
When the apostles added seven people to their leadership team, they now had a team of nineteen instead of twelve! Several became leaders that took the gospel out to new locations, especially when persecution broke out later. They were developing a strong leadership pipeline that would meet the current needs but also ensure that there were leaders ready to succeed them in the future.
Some leaders focus only on present needs and delegate work that needs to be done. But serving leaders delegate work to prepare others to take up leadership in the future. They recognize that there is no success without a successor.
For further reflection and discussion:
- When I have delegated tasks in the past, was it primarily to get the work done or to develop people? What would change on my team if I focused more on developing people?
- On my team, who is ready for an opportunity to take on more responsibility? What can I delegate to them to help them grow and develop their potential? When will I do it?
- Is there a current role I have been considering filling by finding someone outside of my organization? If so, is there anyone already in my organization who could be developed to take that role? What would be required for that to happen?
- What is the current strength of my leadership pipeline? Do I have leaders ready to step into any role in my organization? Are there changes that should be made to strengthen my team in this area? What does my pipeline strength indicate about my leadership?
Until next time, yours on the journey,
Jon Byler
In the next issue, we’ll examine what we should delegate. |
