Let Your Manager Manage: Why Delegating Leadership Responsibilities Is Crucial for Growth
- Ashley Boaz
- Jun 24
- 3 min read
Updated: Jun 25
You hired a manager. Great. But are you actually letting them manage?
Too many business owners unintentionally stall their own growth by holding on to non-essential tasks that rightfully belong to the office manager. From screening new hires to handling conflict resolution, the true responsibilities of leadership are often hoarded under the guise of “just making sure it’s done right.”
But here’s the reality: when you don’t delegate leadership responsibilities, you send a clear (and damaging) message—I don’t trust you to lead.
Why Owners Struggle to Let Go
The transition from hands-on owner to strategic leader is hard. You’ve built the business. You know every corner of it. And letting someone else step into leadership means you’re forced to relinquish control over tasks that may have become part of your identity.
But if your office manager isn’t empowered to hire, train, discipline, or make decisions independently, they’re not managing—they’re babysitting operations until you weigh in.
This bottleneck doesn’t just exhaust you. It frustrates your team, weakens your leadership structure, and quietly erodes morale and efficiency.
Signs You’re Not Delegating Leadership Responsibilities
You still review every résumé before interviews are scheduled.
Your manager needs approval before addressing minor team conflicts.
You’re the only one with access to performance reviews or disciplinary decisions.
The team still comes to you for day-to-day decisions—because they know you’ll override your manager.
You routinely “rescue” situations your manager is already trained to handle.
Sound familiar? You're not alone—but it’s time to course-correct.
Delegation Isn’t Abdication—It’s Elevation
Let’s be clear: Delegating leadership responsibilities doesn’t mean disappearing. It means shifting from doing to developing.
You go from answering every call to coaching the person who does. From solving every issue to building systems that empower others to solve them. From managing the office to mentoring the manager.
Questionnaire: Are You Letting Go of the Right Responsibilities?
Use this quick self-check to evaluate if you’re empowering your office manager—or accidentally holding them back.
Answer yes or no to the following:
Do you personally review résumés before interviews are scheduled?
Do you handle all final hiring decisions without manager input?
Do team members bypass your manager and come directly to you?
Do you conduct performance reviews yourself instead of your manager?
Do you handle all conflict resolution—even for minor team issues?
Do you retain sole authority over scheduling changes or time-off approvals?
Do you avoid giving your manager full access to onboarding/training tools?
Do you rarely meet with your manager to offer leadership development or feedback?
Do you find yourself stepping in “just to make sure it’s done right”?
Do you often say “they’re just not ready” without ever preparing them to be?
Results:
0–2 Yes Answers: You’re doing well. Keep empowering and developing your manager!
3–5 Yes Answers: You’re in the gray zone. Start identifying low-risk leadership tasks to transfer.
6+ Yes Answers: Time to re-evaluate. Your manager has a title, but not the tools or trust to lead.
The Real Cost of Micromanaging Leadership
Keeping these tasks for yourself might feel like maintaining quality—but it’s actually damaging:
Burnout: You become the sole point of decision fatigue.
Stalled growth: No time to work on the business when you're trapped in it.
Team disengagement: Managers lose confidence, and staff see you as the only real leader.
Attrition: Great managers will leave if they’re never truly allowed to lead.
What Should You Be Delegating?
Here’s a short list of leadership duties that should be in your manager’s domain—with your guidance, not your control:
Employee Screening & Interviews: Let them filter and recommend.
Conflict Resolution: Train them in mediation and trust them to implement.
Performance Reviews: Empower them to lead evaluations and coaching sessions.
Team Scheduling & PTO Approval: Keep it streamlined and autonomous.
Onboarding and Training Oversight: Equip them with a system and let them run it.
Policy Enforcement: Your manager should be the face of accountability—not just the one reminding people to clock in.
The Bottom Line: Trust Is a Growth Strategy
Delegating leadership responsibilities isn’t a sign of weakness—it’s a sign of strength. The more you trust your manager to lead, the more time, energy, and strategic clarity you regain as an owner.
You didn’t hire a manager to be your assistant. You hired them to manage.
So let them.
Need help realigning your office roles and responsibilities?
At Mint Conceptions, we specialize in operational coaching and Fractional COO services that empower both owners and managers to thrive in their unique lanes.
📩 Book a consult today.#WeCanHelpWithThat
Kommentare