Supervisor Foundations · Lesson 2.7
DELEGATION IS NOT DUMPING WORK
Delegation means assigning responsibility thoughtfully.
Dumping means transferring work without enough clarity, support, resources or consideration.
A supervisor should consider:
- Does the employee understand the task?
- Do they have the information?
- Do they have the time?
- Do they have the tools?
- Is the workload realistic?
- Does the task fit their role or development needs?
- Is the supervisor available for appropriate support?
Poor
“I don’t want to deal with this. You handle it.”
Better
“I’d like you to take responsibility for this customer follow-up. Here is the background, what needs to happen, and when I need an update.”
WORKPLACE EXAMPLES
EXAMPLE 1
A supervisor gives an inexperienced employee a complex complaint but provides no background and then disappears.
That is poor delegation.
EXAMPLE 2
A team lead gives all undesirable work to the same reliable employee because:
“At least I know she’ll do it.”
Reliability should not become punishment.
EXAMPLE 3
BETTER RESPONSE
That can be good delegation.
EXAMPLE 4
A manager continues adding tasks to an employee whose workload is already full without adjusting priorities.
The issue may be workload management, not employee attitude.
Remember
Delegation should distribute responsibility—not simply transfer pressure.
Workplace action
Ask: Am I delegating because this person is appropriate for the task, or because I do not want to deal with it?
Quick Check
Which example best reflects good delegation?