Greg Stevenson explains how delegation becomes avoidance when leaders assign someone else to handle conversations they should have themselves. Using intermediaries to dodge uncomfortable topics signals weakness to other senior leaders and spreads fast, undermining credibility.
The third form is delegation. This one appears most frequently at senior levels where delegation is both appropriate and expected. Delegation becomes avoidance when you send someone else to have a conversation you should be delivering personally. When you manage through layers specifically because the direct conversation will require you to enter territory you're not comfortable with. Delegation as avoidance sends a signal to everyone watching. and people at senior levels are always watching— that you're not willing to enter certain territories directly. That signal travels faster and further than you think.
