Delegation increases efficiency

 These men were always available to solve the people’s common disputes. They brought the major cases to Moses, but they took care of the smaller matters themselves.
One of the biggest challenges leaders in various fields of calling face is weariness. And this weariness is not necessarily an effect of hard-working but of over-working.
Therefore, spiritual and natural leaders who complain of weariness reveal the fact that they are over-burdened with work. They are over-burdened because they do not delegate responsibilities to others. Their  failure to delegate shows that they are either insecure leaders who feel threatened by brilliant subordinates or they are simple self-conceited leaders who think that any work not done by themselves is never done well.
But lack of delegation overburdens the leader, diverts the leader’s attention from primary tasks,  limits the abilities of subordinates, and negatively affects the principle of succession planning which is a requirement in all successful leadership.
There are spiritual leaders who want to do everything in church. They chair the meetings, lead in praise and worship, teach Bible lessons, take the love offering, preach the sermons and close by laying hands on each member’s head while everyone else looks on.
 Have you seen this anywhere? I tell you though they are gifted, you would always wonder why they do not share tasks with others. Such services are usually boring and they are frustratingly long. I have since learnt that any leader who insists on doing everything himself/herself is resented and deserted by promising leaders. The people under him/her will not achieve their potential.
Could this be one of the major reasons why the flock is highly mobile these days? I think that people move from inefficient systems to efficient ones.
Leaders should understand that frustrated subordinates will not stay with them for long; they are even ready to join a rebel leader just for the sake of change. But satisfied subordinates will stick around with you. So work on efficiency and that includes liberating the talents and abilities of subordinates by giving them platform when necessary as well as delegating tasks according to special abilities and limitations.
Every leader must develop the capacity to fit each one into the job where he/she will do best.
Delegation increases both efficiency and effectiveness. It also reduces weariness on the part of leaders and frustration on the part of followers. It promotes teamwork and reduces divisions.
 One of the best illustrations of this principle of delegation is recorded in Exodus 18. Moses was literally doing everything alone in terms of leading God’s people. He was the legislature. He was the judiciary.
He was everything. Because he was doing everything he was weary. He was at his limit, even beyond his limit, of physical and emotional resources.
The method he used to judge people’s legal issues was too slow and people were getting impatient. When Jethro, his father in law arrived on the scene, he discerned Moses’ weariness from serving too many people. He also noticed the people’s frustration from waiting from the morning till evening to have their matters settled. Jethro confronted Moses, “What is this thing that thou doest to the people? Why sittest thyself alone and all the people stand by thee from morning till even?” When Moses told him that he was the only one qualified and chosen by God to solve their legal matters, Jethro argued, “The thing that thou doest is not good. Then wilt surely wear away, both thou, and this people that is with thee: for this thing is too heavy for thee: thou art not able to perform it thyself alone.”
Having identified the problem of lack of delegation as the root cause of Moses’ weariness and the people’s frustration, Jethro then gave him wise counsel. He proposed a two-part plan. Moses would continue to teach spiritual principles and exercise legislative leadership. He would also decide the hard cases at the court. But much of his work would be delegated to competent and trustworthy subordinates.        
 When Moses followed Jethro’s advice, he realised many benefits. He himself was now able to concentrate on the biggest problems. The hidden talents of many around him were discovered. Moreover, those gifted men, who could have become his critics and rivals had he continued alone, were now allies facing a common challenge. People’s problems were solved with efficiency.
By delegating, Moses laid the groundwork for effective leadership after his death. Joshua and Caleb were surely products of Jethro’s delegation advice.
If you are a manager or supervisor in a company make sure you apply this principle of delegation. You will work with your subordinates better and achieve your organisational goals faster and with much ease.
 You can be free to go and play golf while your trusted subordinates do you proud. If you are a church leader recognise this need for delegation. The five-fold ministry cannot be all locked up in one man; there is need to specialise and to divide labour.
Delegation does not only increase efficiency it also prepares future leaders.
Most importantly, delegation covers our human weaknesses as the strength of others come in where we fall short.
Delegation proves the fact that we desperately need each other; God has created us many so as to be inter-dependent and not be independent.
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