Why Delegation is a Key Leadership Skill (and How an Executive Assistant Can Help)
Feeling like you have to do it all yourself? You’re not alone. Many leaders, entrepreneurs, and high-performing professionals struggle with the pressure to manage every task on their own. In the latest episode of Lift the Gate, Katie Santoro chats with somatic healer Jess Davis about why asking for support can feel so difficult and why learning to delegate is essential for both your well-being and your leadership growth.
Understanding Why We Struggle to Receive Help
Jess Davis works with clients to navigate anxiety and stress, guiding them back to themselves through somatic healing. Somatic healing focuses on tuning into your body’s sensations to better understand where stress and emotional tension are stored.
Resistance to receiving help often shows up physically through tight shoulders, stomach butterflies, or a fluttering chest. It typically stems from early life experiences. Perhaps you asked for help as a child and were dismissed, or maybe you’ve been conditioned to believe that independence equals worthiness. Over time, these experiences create hyper-independence, making delegation feel uncomfortable or even impossible.
Delegation: A Leadership Skill
Here’s the truth: receiving support is not a weakness. It’s a leadership skill. Delegation allows you to focus on what you do best while empowering others to contribute their strengths. Whether it’s at work, at home, or in your personal projects, practicing delegation improves team efficiency, strengthens relationships, and models healthy leadership for those around you. Delegating doesn’t mean giving up control, it means trusting others to help and creating space for both growth and collaboration.
Small Practices to Build Your Delegation Muscle
In our interview with Jess, she shares simple somatic practices to help your body feel safe receiving support:
Body scan meditation: Check in with each part of your body to notice tension or discomfort and understand what your body needs.
Breathing exercises: Place your hands on your heart and belly, take deep breaths, and ground yourself.
Movement and shaking: Release pent-up energy through stretching, dancing, or even shaking out your arms and legs.
These practices help you become aware of the physical signals that accompany stress, fear, or resistance, allowing you to reframe your mindset around support and delegation.
Reframing Your Mindset
Delegation is as much mental as it is practical. Start by noticing your self-talk: “I can’t ask for help” can shift to “I deserve support and guidance.” Over time, this reframing reinforces that receiving help is both necessary and empowering, whether it’s from a family member, team member, or colleague.
How an Executive Assistant Can Transform Your Work Life
One of the most effective ways to practice delegation at work is by partnering with an executive assistant (EA). A skilled EA can help manage calendars, coordinate tasks, handle communications, and take care of operational responsibilities that drain your energy. By delegating these tasks, you free up mental bandwidth to focus on high-impact decisions, strategy, and leadership while ensuring nothing falls through the cracks.
Takeaway
Delegation is not a sign of weakness, it’s a vital leadership skill. Learning to ask for and receive help improves productivity, reduces stress, and strengthens your team or personal network. Partnering with an executive assistant allows you to practice delegation daily, ensuring you can focus on your strengths while creating space for growth and support.
Ready to reclaim your time and energy? Working with a trusted executive assistant can help you delegate effectively, elevate your leadership, and thrive in both work and life. Start today and experience the freedom of having a capable partner in your corner.
