The Hidden Costs of Doing It All: Why Delegating is a Growth Strategy
The pandemic pushed many of us—especially women and mission-driven leaders—into survival mode. We hustled to pivot programs, meet rising community needs, stabilize funding, and keep teams afloat. For nonprofit leaders and women entrepreneurs alike, that season demanded a superhuman level of effort.
But what happens when crisis mode becomes the norm?
Years later, many of us are still carrying the weight of doing it all. We're burnt out, overwhelmed, and stuck in patterns that were once necessary—but no longer serve us. If this sounds familiar, you’re not alone. And it might be time to reframe how you see delegation—not as a luxury, but as a core strategy for long-term growth and wellbeing.
You Can’t Pour From an Empty Cup—And You Shouldn’t Have To
Whether you're running a nonprofit or a purpose-driven business, the work is personal. You're not just pushing a product or a service—you’re building something with heart. That passion often leads to overfunctioning: writing the grant proposals, leading the team, managing the socials, replying to every email… even taking out the trash.
For many women leaders, there's also an unspoken expectation to be everything to everyone. Caregiver. Organizer. Visionary. Administrator. Problem-solver. And when you’re the face of a mission—especially in the nonprofit space—there’s often added pressure to prove you’re doing enough to earn every dollar, donation, or opportunity.
The result? Chronic exhaustion. Decision fatigue. And a slow erosion of the creativity and purpose that brought you to this work in the first place.
Delegation Is Not a Weakness—It’s a Leadership Skill
Delegating doesn’t mean you’re letting go of your values or quality control. It means you’re acknowledging that your time and energy are finite—and your mission needs you to be resourced, not depleted.
When you delegate, you free yourself up to lead. You make room for strategic thinking, innovation, and relationship-building. You empower others to step into their strengths. And you stop bottlenecking your organization’s growth.
In nonprofit work, this might look like hiring a grant writer, bringing on a virtual admin, or trusting your board or staff to take the lead on operations. For entrepreneurs, it could be outsourcing social media, bookkeeping, or customer service.
The Deeper Resistance: What’s Beneath the Need to “Do It All”?
For women in leadership—especially those navigating systemic barriers, trauma histories, or cultural expectations—the resistance to delegation is rarely just logistical. It's emotional.
“I don’t want to burden anyone.”
“No one can do it like I can.”
“It’s faster if I just do it myself.”
“If I let go, it might all fall apart.”
Sound familiar?
These are protective beliefs—born from real-life experiences of being unsupported or unseen. But they’re also beliefs that keep us stuck. Delegating is not just operational—it’s emotional work. It requires trust, vulnerability, and a willingness to reimagine leadership as shared, not solo.
Start Where You Are
You don’t have to overhaul everything overnight. Try these steps:
Identify the Bottlenecks: Where are you the sole point of contact or decision-maker? What’s consistently draining you?
List Your “$10 Tasks”: What are you doing that could be handed off to someone else at a lower cost—freeing you up for your high-impact, $1000/hour visionary work?
Build Capacity, Not Dependency: Delegation isn’t about dumping tasks. It’s about building sustainable systems and empowering others.
Invest in Onboarding: Give your team or contractors what they need to succeed—clear expectations, documented processes, and your trust.
Make Peace With “Imperfect”: It’s okay if someone else doesn’t do it exactly like you would. Done is often better than perfect.
Sustainability Is Strategy
In this post-pandemic world, leadership looks different. Burnout is not a badge of honour. Overfunctioning is not a long-term plan. And martyrdom isn’t a growth strategy.
Delegation is a choice to lead from wholeness—not depletion. It’s how you protect your energy, expand your impact, and model a healthier way of doing business. For your team. For your community. And most importantly—for yourself.