Leveraged Leadership: Going Beyond Delegation
Empowerment in leadership is often misunderstood. Too many leaders confuse it with delegating work or tasks while holding on tightly to control, reluctant to let go of the reins. True empowerment goes far beyond task allocation - it’s about creating the culture, capability, and systems that enable your people to take ownership, make decisions, and drive results. It requires a shift in mindset and a willingness to trust your team to play the game while you stay on the sidelines.
The metaphor of the coach on the sidelines captures this beautifully. A great coach doesn’t run onto the field to take the penalty kick or score the winning try. They provide strategy, feedback, and accountability, but they trust the team to play.
Similarly, leaders must focus on building their team’s confidence, competence, and clarity so they can deliver without micromanagement.
Ask yourself - “What is it only I can do as a leader?”
The answer usually includes setting vision and values, creating alignment, developing others, and maintaining strategic focus. Leaders who try to do everything often limit the potential of their team - and themselves.
Kathryn Minshew, co-founder of The Muse, is a good example. Early in her leadership journey, Minshew realised she was limiting her team by staying too close to the work. She was heavily involved in every decision, slowing down progress and disempowering her people. Once she shifted her approach - focusing on building clear systems, providing strategic direction, and trusting her team to deliver - the business scaled rapidly. She became the coach on the sidelines, empowering her team to own their roles and succeed.
This shift aligns with the Thomas and Velthouse (1990) Model of Psychological Empowerment, which highlights four key drivers: meaning, competence, self-determination, and impact. Leaders need to ensure their teams find purpose in their work (meaning), have the right capability and believe in it (competence), have the freedom to make decisions (self-determination), and can see how their work matters (impact). When these conditions are in place, employees are not only more satisfied but also more engaged and productive.
Research by Spreitzer and Mishra emphasises the importance of “giving up control without losing control.” Leaders who create clear expectations, foster trust, and build accountability mechanisms can empower teams without feeling like they’re abdicating responsibility. It's not about letting go and hoping for the best - it’s about setting up the right frameworks and stepping back with confidence.
In my experience working with leaders letting go is often the hardest part. Leaders can hold limiting assumptions, such as “If I don’t control it, it won’t get done right,” or “It’s faster if I just do it myself.” These beliefs not only exhaust leaders but also rob teams of growth opportunities. Recognising and challenging these assumptions is key to real empowerment and unlocking leveraged leadership.
Empowerment is a deliberate choice to lead in a way that magnifies your impact through others. When you empower well, you won’t need to run onto the field - because your team will be playing to win.
If you would like to break some bad leadership habits, challenge your limiting assumptions or set up new ways to truly empower your teams please connect with me now.
#RealLeadership #Empowerment #LeveragedLeadership #ChallengeAssumptions
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