From Delegating Development to Owning It
This is the second article in our leadership series, focusing on shifting your mindset from delegating team development to owning it. In the previous article, we discussed the importance of moving from a reactive to a proactive approach in developing people. Today, we’ll delve into how personal involvement in team development impacts overall success.
Old Mindset: “Training is someone else’s responsibility.”
New Mindset: “I own the development of my team.”
Leaders often fall into the trap of seeing employee training as something that can be fully delegated—hiring external providers or relying solely on HR to create programs. This mindset creates a dangerous gap between organisational goals and team performance. When leaders remove themselves from the development process, they lose sight of their team’s true needs and progress, leading to ineffective training, wasted resources, and frustration on all sides.
The Real Problem
The belief that “someone else is responsible for training” is a costly mistake. Leaders who abdicate responsibility for development miss critical opportunities to steer their team’s growth in a way that aligns with the organisation’s strategic direction. According to a McKinsey study, 50% of leaders believe their learning and development efforts are misaligned with business objectives, resulting in training that fails to move the needle on performance or innovation.
When leaders disengage from development, the consequences are clear:
- Inconsistent results: Teams may receive training, but without leadership involvement, it rarely reflects the real-world needs of their roles.
- Lower engagement: Employees who don’t see their leaders actively involved in their growth are less motivated to apply what they learn.
- Missed opportunities for innovation: Without regular leadership oversight, training tends to focus on basic competencies rather than the advanced skills needed to drive innovation and growth.
Why Personal Ownership Matters
Leaders who actively own their team’s development see better outcomes. When leaders set the vision, create structured development plans, and regularly engage with their teams on progress, employees feel supported and motivated.
Research shows that companies with engaged leaders in employee development programs experience 24% higher profit margins compared to those where leaders are not involved. Personal ownership signals to the team that their development is a strategic priority, not just a checkbox exercise. Moreover, by being actively involved, leaders can identify skill gaps in real-time and adjust development strategies accordingly.
Shifting from Delegation to Ownership
What does ownership look like in practice?
While leaders can (and should) delegate parts of the development process, they must remain active in guiding it. This involves:
- Defining clear success criteria before development programs begin. What skills and outcomes should the training achieve? How will you measure progress?
- Aligning development with operational needs. Teams need to see a direct link between what they’re learning and how it improves performance or addresses business challenges.
- Engaging regularly in feedback. Leadership involvement in regular check-ins, coaching, and one-on-one reviews ensures that development isn’t left to chance.
Leaders who shift their mindset from delegation to ownership foster high-performing teams that are better equipped to navigate challenges and innovate.
Key Takeaway
Owning your team’s development doesn’t mean you have to personally run every training session—it means you stay deeply engaged. Leaders must create a clear vision for growth, set standards, and monitor progress. The question isn’t “Can I delegate this?”—it’s “How am I directly shaping my team’s development to meet our strategic goals?”
Reflect on how personally involved you are in your team’s growth. Do you have clear visibility into their development progress? Are you taking ownership of guiding their skills and aligning their growth with business objectives?
In the next article of this series, we’ll explore the mindset shift from managing day-to-day tasks to leading with a future-focused vision. Stay tuned for actionable insights on how to inspire long-term growth in your team while achieving immediate goals.
Read the Full Operational Excellence Series
Mindset shift #1: From Training as a Perk to Training as a Core Business Practice. Read the article here: Rethinking underperformance
Mindset shift #3: From Inconsistent Standards to Clear Expectations. Read the article here: Setting Clear Standards
Mindset shift #4: From One-Time Training to Continuous Development. Read the article here: Continuous Learning
Mindset shift #5: From Blaming Employees to Analysing the System. Read the article here: Analysing the system
Mindset shift #6: From Transactional Training to Building Relationships. Read the article here: Building relationships
