Delegation is the act of giving someone else the authority and responsibility to complete a task or make decisions on your behalf. When a teacher delegates grading quizzes to a teaching assistant, or when a soccer team captain delegates organizing the end-of-season party to a teammate, they're trusting someone else to handle important work.

Delegation usually requires two things: trust and clear communication. You can't just dump work on someone and walk away. Good delegation means explaining what needs to be done, giving the person the authority to do it, and trusting them to figure out the details. A club president might delegate planning the bake sale to a committee, explaining the budget and date but letting them choose what to bake and how to advertise.

Many people struggle with delegation because they worry others won't do things exactly their way. But effective leaders understand that delegation isn't about getting everything done perfectly according to their vision. It's about accomplishing more by working together. When you delegate well, you give others a chance to develop their skills while freeing yourself to focus on tasks only you can do.

A delegate is a person chosen to represent others or carry out specific duties, like a delegate to a student council convention.