Delegation is hard for me.

Between 2017 and 2021 I was the Head Coach of the Belgian national team for American football. We had recently brought on a new assistant coach going into my second season at the helm who—needless to say—lacked some experience. He was a bright young coach but just didn't have the coaching background the rest of the coaches on staff had accumulated.

Even though I was the one that hired him, it was still difficult for me to let him do his job; I wanted to take over and do everything myself.

But the more I micromanaged and tried to nudge him out of the way and do things on my own, the more my impact as a head coach dwindled. Rather than letting him do what he was hired to do, I butted in and my overall effectiveness as the leader of the organization fell as a result.

After a tough home loss against Ireland, I decided to switch my approach. Instead of overstepping and underdelivering, I chose to delegate properly, educate appropriately, and trust accordingly. This stunning realization did wonders for him, for me, and for our team as a whole.

It's amazing how someone's effectiveness seems to double as soon as you give them responsibility and indicate that you trust them.

The parallels to business, education, and a multitude of various fields are obvious. Trust is a powerful thing. Pair that with appropriate responsibility and you've got a lethal combo.

Delegate. Lead. And increase the overall performance on your team.