Delegation: The Leadership Skill Public-Sector Leaders Can’t Afford to Ignore

In government, working hard isn’t the issue — most leaders are already doing that and more. The real challenge? Working smarter.

Public-sector leaders are stretched thin — juggling rising demands, shrinking budgets, and ongoing uncertainty. Burnout is rising. Morale is slipping. Engagement is lacking. Productivity is taking a hit.

Gallup research from 2024, in fact, estimated that in an agency with 10,000 employees and an average salary of $50,000, low engagement costs approximately $66 million annually.

As workloads continue to grow, the idea of stepping back or letting go often feels risky, if not impossible. But here’s the thing: You don’t have to do it all to lead well. You just have to lead differently — and that starts with strategic delegation.

Smarter Leadership Starts With Letting Go

Delegation isn’t just about handing off tasks or reclaiming your calendar. It’s a strategic leadership skill that builds team capacity, reduces burnout, and improves productivity across the board.

Yet research shows that only 19% of leaders demonstrate strong delegation skills. That means that 81% of leaders struggle to delegate effectively. In my experience, most leaders struggle not because they can’t delegate, but because of the fears delegation can stir up: fear of losing control, fear of failure, or fear of being seen as less committed.

If you’ve ever thought:

• “It’s faster if I just do it myself.”
• “If it’s not done my way, it won’t be right.”
• “What if they drop the ball and I’m held accountable?”

You’re not alone. But this mindset leads to overextension, underutilized teams, and missed opportunities for growth for the both leader and team.

Delegation: The Shift That Strengthens Your Team

In today’s climate of tight staffing and rising demands, delegation isn’t optional — it’s essential. Done well, it allows you to:

• Focus on high-impact leadership work
• Boost engagement, trust, and team ownership
• Strengthen decision-making at all levels
• Ease burnout and prevent bottlenecks

When I served as a chief of staff, I knew I needed to delegate, but I also needed to feel confident that things wouldn’t fall through the cracks. That’s why I developed the S.A.F.E. Delegation Framework — a practical, trust-building approach to delegation that doesn’t sacrifice quality, accountability, or peace of mind.

This simple, but effective, framework helped me empower others, protect my time, and take a real day off — without constant interruptions.

The S.A.F.E. Delegation Framework

Each part of this framework supports intentional, effective delegation:

• S – Select the Right Tasks: Identify tasks someone else could do with the right structure.
• A – Assign Clearly: Clarify the “what,” “why,” “when” and success measures.
• F – Follow Through: Check in to provide support without micromanaging.
• E – Empower Ownership: Give space for decision-making authority, where appropriate.

Ready to delegate without the doubt? Start by identifying one task you can hand off this week — something that frees your time and develops someone else’s leadership muscle.

Remember—It all starts with you.

Carolyn Mozell is passionate about leadership and its transformative impact on individuals, teams, and organizations. As the Founder of Leaders Who Connect and Inspire LLC, she empowers nonprofit and government leaders to break down silos, unify teams, and achieve shared goals through impactful training programs and immersive retreats that enhance communication and emotional intelligence skills.

Carolyn has served in some of the highest levels of local government leadership across both the legislative and executive branches, as well as in roles as a nonprofit COO and entrepreneur, making her uniquely qualified to support leaders and teams at all levels, in navigating challenges with clarity, cohesion, and a strong sense of purpose.

Carolyn holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Maryland and is a certified DISC and Emotional Intelligence Practitioner. Outside of work, she enjoys crafting, being a wife and proud pet mom to her adopted cat, Eva.

Image by fahribaabdullah14 from Pixabay