Work Keeps Boomeranging? You Might Have a Reverse Delegation Problem

Delegation is one of those classic leadership skills we all talk about—handing off tasks to build team capacity, empower people, and free up time for more strategic work. Great, right?

AND there’s a sneaky twist that can mess with all of that: reverse delegation.

It’s subtle. It’s common. And it can seriously slow a team down if you don’t catch it early.

Let’s break it down—what it is, why it matters, and what to do about it.

What Is Reverse Delegation?

Reverse delegation happens when an employee who was given a task or responsibility hands it back to the manager—either directly or subtly.

It might sound like:

• “I wasn’t sure how to move forward, so I figured you’d want to take it.”
• “You’re better at this—can you handle it instead?”
• “I got stuck, so I just waited for your direction.”
• “I was too busy – can’t you do it?”

Sometimes it's said out loud. Other times, it shows up in the form of delays, half-finished work, or decisions that magically boomerang back to your desk.

The Impact of Reverse Delegation

On the Employee

• Missed growth opportunities: The employee doesn’t develop the problem-solving skills or confidence that come from navigating ambiguity.
• Learned helplessness: Over time, they become less likely to take initiative, assuming someone else (usually the manager) will step in.
• Frustration or disengagement: Ironically, the employee may feel micromanaged—even though they’re the ones passing it back to the manager.

On the Manager

• Overwhelm: The manager ends up doing work that should be delegated, often on top of their actual responsibilities.

• Bottlenecks: Decision-making slows down because everything funnels back to the top.
• Burnout risk: It’s exhausting to both lead and do the work you’re supposed to be empowering others to own.

On the Organization

• Stalled development: Teams stop learning how to lead themselves. Capacity and capability stay limited.
• Inefficiency: Time and resources are wasted when work flows upward instead of outward.

• Culture starts to slide: People stop owning things, and it gets harder to build a team where everyone takes responsibility.

What To Do About It

If you’re a manager:

✅ Notice the patterns – Are you picking up tasks you assigned? Are decisions coming back to you more than they should?

✅ Pause before jumping in – When someone comes to you with a problem, ask:

• “What do you think the next step is?”
• “What have you tried so far?”
• “How would you handle this if I weren’t here?”

✅ Coach, don’t rescue – Support your team in solving their own problems, even if it takes a little longer.

✅ Be clear on expectations – Ownership includes authority, not just accountability. If someone owns a task, make sure they feel empowered to actually do it.

If you’re an employee:

✅ Take a beat – Before handing work back to your manager, ask yourself:

• “Have I really exhausted my options?”
• “What am I afraid of getting wrong?”
• “What decision can I make right now?”

✅ Ask for support, not a hand-off – It’s okay to need help, but frame it as a checkpoint, not a surrender.

✅ Own the outcome. Even if it’s not perfect, seeing something through builds confidence and shows leadership.

If you’re part of the organization:

✅ Model accountability at every level – Celebrate employees who step up, not just those who perform flawlessly.

✅ Train for delegation – Delegation is a skill on both sides. Help teams learn how to lead and be led.

✅ Check your systems – Are roles and decision-making clear? If not, it creates the perfect setup for reverse delegation.

Final Thought: Empowerment ≠ Abandonment

Empowering someone doesn’t mean walking away and hoping for the best. It means giving them the tools, support, and trust to figure it out—even if it takes a few tries.

Reverse delegation often comes from a place of fear—fear of getting it wrong, of disappointing someone, of wasting time. But if we want teams that grow, adapt, and thrive, we have to give people space to own it—not hand it back when it gets tricky.

So, whether you’re leading a team or just trying to grow in your role, remember this:

Hold the line. Don’t take the work back. Coach. Empower. Move forward. Together.