There was a point in my leadership journey when I realised I was doing something contradictory.
I wanted my team to take ownership. Yet, whenever something wasn't progressing as I expected, I would check the work, offer suggestions or take it back because I knew I could do it faster.
I would delegate the task, but I was still carrying the responsibility.
The task was theirs. The decisions were still mine.
As a manager, it's easy to confuse assigning work with transferring ownership. You ask someone to take responsibility, but continue checking every step. You want them to make decisions, but step in when they approach things differently from how you would.
I recognise versions of this pattern in my coaching conversations with first-time managers. They often tell me their teams aren't taking enough ownership.
But when we explore what happens, a different question emerges:
Are people failing to take ownership, or are we stepping in before they get the chance?
What if you changed your response?
In my coaching conversations, I help managers pause and examine what triggers their need to step in — and what might happen if they responded differently.
Instead of immediately offering the answer, try asking:
- "What options have you considered?”
- "What would you recommend, and why?”
- "What do you need from me to move forward?”
These questions create space for people to think and make decisions, while allowing managers to provide clarity and support when needed.
The goal isn't to withdraw support. It's to stop taking over when what someone really needs is the opportunity to develop their own judgement.
Before you take the work back…
Think about a task you have delegated recently.
Are you holding someone accountable for the outcome while giving them the space to own the approach?
You remain accountable as a manager, but that doesn't mean controlling every step.
I am still reflecting on this in my own leadership journey, and it's a pattern I continue to explore with the leaders I coach.
Delegating work may free up your time. Creating ownership builds your team's capability.
Sometimes, leadership means resisting the urge to take the work back — and giving someone the opportunity to grow into the responsibility.
If this article resonates with you and you'd like to explore it a little further, you can continue the conversation with Swagata here.
