Episode 11: The 3 Power Moves of Delegation: How Leaders Stop Carrying Everyone’s Monkeys

In Episode 11 of the Leadership Excellence Podcast, George Trachilis and Dr. Tom Lawless dive deep into one of the most essential skills every leader must master: Delegation. The real kind—the kind that develops people, frees up your time, and creates a truly self‑reliant team.

This episode begins with a classic leadership parable inspired by the Harvard Business Review story “Who’s Got the Monkey?”. Leaders often overload themselves not because they work too hard, but because they unintentionally carry everyone else’s monkeys—other people’s problems, tasks, and responsibilities. By the end of the week, they are exhausted and overwhelmed, wondering why nothing important got done.
George and Tom break down why this happens, why it’s destructive, and how to stop the cycle immediately.

From there, they reveal the Three Power Moves of Delegation, a simple framework that brings clarity to leadership, increases team capability, and helps people grow into higher levels of independence and accountability:

Power Move #1 – Delegate Outcomes, Not Tasks
Most leaders assign disconnected tasks that keep them stuck as bottlenecks. Here, you’ll learn how to delegate results instead—so your people think, act, and problem‑solve like leaders.

Power Move #2 – Match Delegation to Skill & Readiness
Too much freedom too soon makes people feel abandoned. Too much control when they’re ready makes them feel micromanaged. This episode shows you how to match responsibility to each person’s experience, judgment, and confidence.

Power Move #3 – Establish Guardrails and Let Go
Purpose, outcomes, boundaries, requirements, and deadlines—these are the guardrails people need to succeed independently. When leaders provide clarity and then step back, teams grow fast.

Together, these three moves will help you:
 • Build capability instead of dependency
 • Reduce overwhelm and fire‑fighting
 • Free up your time for strategic leadership
 • Create a culture of ownership and confidence
 • Stop being the one who carries everyone’s monkeys

This episode closes with practical next steps: how to identify your workload, categorize tasks, eliminate low‑value work, and delegate effectively starting today.

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