Delegation isn’t about giving up control. It’s about creating trust and multiplying impact.
Background
Scott is a seasoned manager in a high-stakes transit operations environment. When we first met, Scott was stuck in a common pattern: constantly jumping into every issue himself, solving problems for his team instead of developing them to solve their own. He was overwhelmed, frustrated by bottlenecks, and unsure if his team could handle more responsibility.
But what he really wanted was to lead more strategically, stop micromanaging, and build a team that could think and act independently.
The Challenge
No time to think: Scott was buried in reactive tasks and daily fire drills.
Team dependency: His team leaned on him for every decision and task.
Delegation struggle: He wasn’t confident his team could follow through without his direct involvement.
Vision stuck in his head: Scott had big goals but no clear way to communicate expectations or get buy-in.
The Intervention
Through a structured coaching engagement, we focused on three core shifts:
Delegation with purpose
Scott learned to delegate in a way that didn’t feel like “dropping tasks,” but created ownership and accountability.Creating clarity, not control
We built a Development Plan for a new deputy role that outlined expectations, milestones, and a system of feedback and documentation — giving Scott room to lead without hovering.Coaching his team
Scott started asking more questions, listening deeper, and giving his team space to grow. He even began coaching his direct reports using some of the same frameworks.
The Results
Reduced firefighting: Scott reported fewer urgent escalations and more proactive problem-solving from his team.
More time to lead: With tasks off his plate, Scott was able to focus on strategic issues, mentoring, and culture-building.
Team growth: A previously passive team member stepped into a leadership role with more confidence, guided by Scott’s coaching and feedback.
Culture ripple effect: Scott became a role model for other managers struggling with delegation, which sparked interest from his broader leadership team.
Key Takeaway
This case shows what's possible when managers are trained not just to manage tasks, but to develop people. Scott didn’t just get his time back, he shifted his identity from doer to leader. And that shift created space for his entire team to grow.