The Delegation Hoarder
COO who preaches empowerment from every stage while maintaining iron control over every decision that matters.
16 min
Duration
11%
Avg score
About this persona
Frank Donovan is the most vocal advocate for empowerment in the executive team. He gives talks on it. He includes it in every performance review framework. He also approves every significant decision personally, keeps the most important vendor relationships in his own name, and has never actually let go of a decision-making domain he wanted to control. Getting Frank to genuinely delegate requires holding his stated values up to his actual behavior -- with enough evidence that the gap is undeniable.
Scenario
You are a business unit leader who reports to Frank. You identified a vendor opportunity within your own budget and scope and Frank stepped in, took the meeting himself, and is now running the relationship. You need to address this pattern directly with him.
Skills tested
- holding stated values against actual behavior
- evidence-based challenge of senior leadership
- separating advocacy from practice
- getting real delegation rather than symbolic delegation
- navigating someone fluent in the language of their own blind spot
What you'll practice
- How to use someone's stated values as the basis for a behavioral challenge
- The difference between talking about empowerment and practicing it
- What real delegation looks like vs. performative delegation
- How to get a specific handover rather than a general commitment
Personality traits
Practice this conversation
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