Hi {{first_name}}

On Monday I shared John's story. A CEO who couldn't hand anything over because his Perfectionist Mask — that unconscious fear-based pattern — had convinced him that anything less than flawless would expose him as not good enough.

John isn't unusual. According to DDI's Global Leadership Forecast, based on assessments of over 70,000 managers, only 19% demonstrate strong delegation abilities.

That number surprises most leaders I share it with. But when I ask them to think honestly about their own behaviour, it starts to make sense.

Most senior leaders I coach believe they delegate well. They assign tasks. They distribute projects. They share the load. But delegation isn't just about distribution. It means handing over ownership, tolerating imperfection, and resisting the urge to rescue when things don't unfold exactly as you would have done them.

The myth is that delegation is about efficiency. It isn't. It's about trust.

When leaders hold on, the cost extends beyond their own burnout (though DDI's research confirms delegation is the most effective skill for preventing it). The bigger cost is what happens to the people around them. Capable team members stop stretching. They learn to wait, check, and defer. Growth stalls, not because they lack talent, but because they lack space.

John discovered this. When he finally stepped back, his team didn't just cope. They solved problems he'd been solving for them for years.

You probably delegate tasks. But do you delegate autonomy?

If Monday's edition resonated, reply and tell me which part. I read every response.

Friday: a coaching moment that made me rethink what confidence actually is.

Gavin