While many leaders believe they’re doing a decent job of delegating at work, evidence of long hours and near burnout suggests otherwise. In an attempt to take more tasks off the plates of executives, we’re recommending five books about delegation. Each offers different perspectives on the art and science of this critical skill for leaders so they can finally learn to delegate effectively.
If you find yourself drowning in work right now with no time to spare for a new book, you definitely need these. Try listening to them on Audible while driving, exercising, or between meetings for excellent examples of delegation in the workplace.
The Busy Manager’s Guide to Delegation
There’s misinformation out there about the power of delegation, hint Richard A. Luecke and Perry McIntosh in their book, The Busy Manager’s Guide to Delegation. The pair teach that when you learn to delegate work, you are view differently as a leader. In this practical book about delegation, Luecke and McIntosh offer a 5-step process to follow (with delegation examples), and how to know if your efforts are working.
This is why Executives love it Let’s be clear. This isn’t just a book about delegation. It’s essentially a workshop chock-full of tips, assessments, worksheets, and examples of delegation in the workplace. Talk about practical! This read will be right by your side as you learn to delegate the right tasks and empower your employees along the way.
Here’s what’s being said about it “This is comprehensive, and linear; scaffolded for stickiness and comprehension. Loaded with details. If you need to delegate skip all other books and take the time to read this. Buy a paper copy and get your flags and highlighter. Prepare for it to get dog-eared and worn.” - Stacee A. Mandeville (via Amazon)
Deep and Deliberate Delegation: A New Art for Unleashing Talent and Winning Back Time
In his highly-rated deep dive into delegation, Dave Stitt shares what happens when leaders don’t delegate. Deep and Deliberate Delegation: A New Art for Unleashing Talent and Winning Back Time explains that most people don’t know how to delegate well, even if they believe they do. And delegating the wrong way isn’t helping anyone. Stitt then offers a clear guide on how to learn to delegate the right way so Executives can start implementing immediately.
This is why Executives love it There are endless books available on how to be a good leader, but one focused solely on proper delegation is hard to find. This true guide explains the “why” behind delegation and how it can keep Executives from burning out at work. Stitt offers excellent suggestions on how to keep those you’re delegating to motivated and appreciative of the opportunity.
Here’s what’s being said about it “This is comprehensive, and linear; scaffolded for stickiness and comprehension. Loaded with details. If you need to delegate skip all other books and take the time to read this. Buy a paper copy and get your flags and highlighter. Prepare for it to get dog-eared and worn.” - Stacee A. Mandeville (via Amazon)
The Big Leap: Conquer Your Hidden Fear and Take Life to the Next Level
Gay Hendrick’s The Big Leap: Conquer Your Hidden Fear and Take Life to the Next Level may not come up in search results for “books about delegation” but it’s certainly part of the building blocks to help you master the idea. This book defines four different zones: incompetence, competence, excellence, and genius. Hendricks warns that most of us spend the majority of our time within our zone of competence and zone of genius. The Big Leap can help Executives identify what falls into each of their zones and learn to delegate tasks, not within their zone of genius.
This is why Executives love it The Big Leap is the first book to dig into if you’re interested in delegating. While it won’t give you step-by-step rules or processes to follow, it will make you get clear on where your genius lies. Most people start businesses to work within their zone of genius but end up doing all the other work that’s outside of that area. This book will help you get back to the reason you started in the first place and encourage you to delegate the rest.
Here’s what’s being said about it “This brief read is so packed with gems of knowledge it's difficult to focus on just one. This is definitely a book I will read again immediately to start implementing the concepts. This will remain in my permanent library.” - Teresa Storms (via Amazon)
From Supervisor to Super Leader: How to Break Free from Stress and Build a Thriving Team That Gets Results
If you want to be educated about delegation and beyond, start reading From Supervisor to Super Leader: How to Break Free from Stress and Build a Thriving Team That Gets Results. Shanda K. Miller brings tried and true principles to these pages that will teach you how to be a great leader. While delegation is a key part of leadership, she stresses the other factors that go into having a cohesive team that works well together. This book will help you realize you’re not the only one affected when you learn to delegate work.
This is why Executives love it This isn’t just a book about delegation. Miller hands over a playbook for how to engage your team, build their trust and hold them accountable. Giving your employees tasks and projects to complete is one thing, but understanding the soft skills that go along with that is crucial to running a successful organization.
Here’s what’s being said about it “I have been in leadership roles at varying levels. This book certainly has excellent advice and 'how to' for any type of leadership role. I even found some of the advice helpful in family life (being a mom). Well written. I especially liked the self-assessment tools at the end. - Susan Abraham (via Amazon)
If You Want It Done Right, You Don’t Have to Do It Yourself!
Donna M Genett, Ph.D. doesn’t waste any time getting to the point of why delegating is so important in If You Want It Done Right, You Don’t Have to Do It Yourself! In this quick and easy read, Genett tells a story about two cousins to help explain her effective delegating process. The six practical steps she offers promise to balance your workload so you can spend your valuable time focusing on what you do best. This book does a nice job of giving delegation examples in a way that resonates with everyone.
This is why Executives love it Time is always of the essence for busy Executives. This book on delegation is short and to the point but explains concepts and processes in a way most can understand—through storytelling. You won’t find yourself sifting through endless business jargon in this one. Instead, grab Genett’s advice, think of examples of delegation in the workplace that you can implement immediately, and get moving!
Here’s what’s being said about it “Love the way principles are taught through story form. This book was incredibly easy to read, yet dense with information ready to be put to use. Whether brand new or seasoned management, this is an incredible book.” - Dominique Robbin (via Amazon)
Delegating doesn’t have to be difficult. Check out the summary and reviews of each of the recommended books and start with one. Implement what you can—quickly—and then move on to the next task. And if you’re searching for a more done-for-you approach to delegation, learn more about Double’s game-changing solution specifically for executives at fast-growing companies.