How well do you delegate?

In his book How to Break Growth Barriers, Carl George gives several questions that we can ask ourselves in determining whether or not we are good delegators. Here they are:

1. Are you afraid your people will make mistakes?

2. Do you frequently take work home or work late at the office?

3. Does your operation function smoothly when you're absent?

4. Do you spend more time working on details than you do on planning and supervising?

5. Is your follow-up procedure adequate?

6. Do you overrule or reverse decisions made by those on your team?

7. Do you bypass others by making decisions that are part of their jobs?

8. Do you do several things your assistants could, and should be doing?

9. If you were incapacitated for six months, is there someone who could readily take your place?

10. Will there be a big pile of paper requiring your action when you return from a trip or absence?

To score yourself, add one point for each "yes" answer to numbers 3, 5, and 9, and one point for each "no" answer to numbers 1, 2, 4, 6, 7, 8, and 10. A good score, according to George, is 8 or above.

Sometimes we get focused on tasks, and forget to empower people. Sometimes we are obsessed with control, and don't want to let others make decisions or micromanage the ones that they make. Sometimes we want to feel indispensible, and want people to think, that guy does everything around here. Without him, we would be in trouble.

We should not underestimate the importance of leaders. They are vitally important. But one of the best signs of a good evangelist, Bible class teacher, minister, elder or other role is that in his or her absence, the church continues to function and grow. If everything falls apart without us, then we have failed to equip others.