Scott Burgmeyer
Reverse delegation is one of the most common yet overlooked challenges in today's workplace. This leadership trap occurs when employees return tasks to their managers—essentially handing back the responsibilities that were initially assigned to them. The unfortunate reality is that many well-intentioned leaders unintentionally facilitate this dynamic, creating a cycle that undermines organizational effectiveness and employee growth.
At its core, reverse delegation stems from a fundamental misunderstanding of what supportive leadership looks like. Many managers believe that being helpful means solving problems for their team members or taking work off their plates when they express difficulty. This misconception often comes from a bastardized interpretation of servant leadership, where "serving" is confused with "doing the work." True servant leadership is about enabling others to succeed independently, not creating dependency by handling their responsibilities.
The signs of reverse delegation are often subtle but telling. Are you consistently working longer hours than your team? Do you catch yourself saying things like, "I'll handle this because they have kids at home" or "This is too difficult to explain, so I'll just do it myself"? These justifications might seem compassionate, but they actually disable your team members by depriving them of growth opportunities and creating an unhealthy work distribution. Every time you take on what should be an employee's responsibility, you send the implicit message that you don't trust them to handle it.
There are legitimate moments when taking on an employee's task makes sense—emergencies happen, deadlines loom, and sometimes efficiency genuinely demands that you step in. The critical question isn't whether you occasionally help, but whether you have a plan to develop your team member's capabilities so they can handle similar situations independently in the future. Without this forward-looking approach, you're merely perpetuating dependency while increasing your own workload.
Effective leaders recognize that their role isn't to do the thinking for their staff but to help them think more deeply. This means asking questions that guide employees toward solutions rather than providing answers outright. It means sitting with discomfort rather than rushing to rescue. When an employee comes to you with a problem they should solve, try responding with "What have you tried so far?" or "What do you think we should do here?" These questions maintain accountability while still offering support.
The most troubling aspect of reverse delegation is how it often creates a firefighting environment. When leaders habitually rescue their teams at the last minute, they inadvertently reward crisis management rather than proactive problem-solving. Teams become accustomed to escalating issues late in the process, knowing their manager will swoop in to save the day. Over time, this creates a workplace culture defined by reactivity rather than strategic thinking.
Breaking the cycle requires conscious effort. When faced with potential reverse delegation—what one might call the "Uno reverse card" moment—effective leaders pause and ask: "Why me? Is this truly my responsibility?" If not, they assess whether the employee has the necessary skills and whether there's time for a teaching moment. Sometimes the right answer is to hand the monkey back with guidance; other times, it's to work through the solution together so learning occurs. What matters is that the interaction moves the employee toward greater independence rather than reinforcing dependence.
Want to hear more? Check out our reverse delegation podcast: Monkey Business: The Art of Avoiding Reverse Delegation