We’ve answered several questions about delegation from the story of the apostles in the early church. We looked at why we don’t delegate, why we should delegate, how we determine what to delegate and to whom we should delegate. Now, how do we delegate?

  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. (Acts 6:1-6, NIV).  

This passage doesn’t give many details of how to delegate but it does provide guidelines that can help us learn how to effectively delegate tasks to others.   

Delegate by clarifying the task.

“We will turn this responsibility over to them.” The apostles made it clear that the task they were handing over was the work of the distribution of food to the widows. The desired outcome was also clear—to solve the complaints about inequitable distribution. The limits of the task were also identified. The apostles were not turning over the “ministry of the word” to these new leaders.

Some leaders delegate a task without being crystal clear about the expected outcomes and limits of authority being granted. But serving leaders take time to clarify exactly what is being delegated, what outcomes are expected, and what levels of authority are being granted. 

Delegate by releasing responsibility for the task.  

The apostles said they would “turn this…over to them.” They deliberately released responsibility to the new leaders who would now be fully responsible for the distribution of food. Since the men chosen were “full of the spirit and wisdom” they were released to do the task. I love the African proverb about delegation, “If you give someone a goat, let go of the rope!”

Many leaders assign tasks to others but don’t actually release them to do the work. They constantly check on the progress or micromanage the way the work is being done—or even step back in and do it themselves. But once serving leaders have clarified the task and the level of authority granted, they release the person to do the work! 

Delegate by establishing accountability for the task.

“They presented these men to the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them.” This was a public act that demonstrated the trust and authority granted by the apostles. At the same time, it showed that while the new leaders were trusted and released to work, they were still accountable to the apostles. Releasing responsibility does not eliminate accountability.

Some leaders release tasks to others and then don’t establish clear accountability for the work. But serving leaders clarify accountability when they release authority. They proactively establish appropriate methods of reporting and assessment from the beginning.

Delegation is a powerful tool to multiply leaders in your organization. It’s not easy to do well, and every leader makes mistakes along the way. But you can learn to do it and the results will be worth the effort! (See below for a free resource that can help.)

For further reflection and discussion:

Identify a task that you should delegate to someone you lead. Then work through the questions below to develop a plan of how you will delegate the task.

Clarify the task.

• What is the task?
• What is the goal of delegating the task?
• What level of authority am I granting with the task? (Do I expect the person to follow my instructions, recommend a plan of action for my approval, or use their own judgment to complete the task?)

Release responsibility.

• When will I release the responsibility for the task to this person?
• Who else needs to know about this change of responsibility?  
• What will I do to resist the urge to step in and take the work back?           

Establish accountability.

• When will I plan to meet with the leader and review progress on the new task?
• What will I do if corrections need to be made?
• Have I clearly communicated this plan to the person you want to take on the new task?

Until next time, yours on the journey,

Jon Byler

*For a framework to help you delegate tasks and provide the needed training and accountability for the assignment, you may find the LeadersServe DELEGATE Tool helpful. Download it here.

**If you want the entire series on delegation in one document, download a PDF here.

Serving leaders empower others and are thrilled to see people developing and released, but they are not blind to the need for accountability. As Paul worked with Timothy and others in his leadership pipeline, he released them, but he also followed them to ensure that they were moving in the right direction. In the initial stages of his development Timothy followed Paul, living and working together. But then Paul released Timothy to pastor the church at Ephesus. Timothy was now leading on his own but Paul didn’t leave him alone. Paul followed him, writing letters to Timothy that provided appropriate accountability and guidance.   

¹⁵ Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress. ¹⁶ Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers (1 Timothy 4:15-16, NIV).

Timothy at this point was on his own, but he was not alone. Paul was continuing to mentor and guide him on his leadership journey. And it was effective! Paul later declared:

But you know that Timothy has proved himself, because as a son with his father he has served with me in the work of the gospel (Philippians 2:22, NIV).

Serving leaders learn the benefits of following those they empower from Paul’s example.

Following leaders provides accountability.

Paul acknowledged that Timothy had “proved himself.” This implies that there was a time of testing and evaluation of this leadership capacity as he developed under Paul’s guidance. Paul released Timothy to lead on his own but made it clear that he was still accountable to him for his work.

Some leaders release those under them with little or no accountability. Others delegate responsibilities but micromanage what the emerging leader is doing. Serving leaders successfully manage the delicate balance between empowerment and accountability. They release, but don’t abandon, the emerging leader.  They follow by establishing accountability that is appropriate for the leadership level of the one that they release.

Following leaders produces accelerated growth.   

Appropriately following an emerging leader actually accelerates their growth! The mentor is able to share life experience and wisdom in ways that help the younger leader to move forward more quickly on their own leadership journey. Timothy could have learned some things on his own through trial and error. But Paul followed Timothy to accelerate that growth. He expected everyone to see Timothy’s “progress.” Some leaders release others and expect them to learn on their own. Serving leaders follow those they are developing to accelerate their growth.  

Following leaders produces higher quality leaders.

The result of Paul’s continued mentorship in Timothy’s life –was “that Timothy has proved himself.” Paul’s leadership pipeline produced a proven leader who had journeyed with Paul as a son. Timothy was a high-quality leader as a result. Some leaders release others to be on their own and hope for the best. Serving leaders continue to serve those they are developing by following up with them to ensure quality results.

For further reflection and discussion:

• Do I have an older leader or mentor who follows me to see how I am doing in my leadership journey? If so, what can I do to show appreciation to them today for what they have invested in my life? If not, who is someone I can ask to hold me accountable for my own leadership development and when will I talk to them about this?
• For those leaders that I am developing, is my tendency to release without accountability or to micromanage? What do I need to change to find the right balance?      
• Have I had conversations about levels of accountability with those I release to do different tasks or assignments?  Am I adjusting the level of accountability expected as leaders under me grow and develop?
• What do I do to demonstrate to those I lead that while they are on their own, they are not alone?
• What quality of leaders are developing under my guidance? What can I learn from Paul to produce higher quality leaders?  

Until next time, yours on the journey,

Jon Byler

In the next issue, we’ll examine how Paul developed his leadership pipeline by encouraging them.