251. Mastering the Art of Delegation with Sabina Nawaz

Ever caught yourself micromanaging when deadlines loom, despite your best intentions? You're not alone. In this revealing conversation, former Microsoft executive Sabina Nawaz shares her personal wake-up call – discovering an employee crying after one of her meetings – that transformed her approach to leadership under pressure.

Sabina introduces game-changing concepts like the "delegation dial" that replaces the problematic on/off switch approach to empowerment. Rather than flipping between complete control and total hands-off leadership, she offers a nuanced framework that adapts to both the situation and the individual's capability. This approach transforms how we develop talent while maintaining quality standards.

The conversation explores how power isolates leaders from truth, creating blind spots that undermine effectiveness. Through practical tools like the "shut up muscle" (intentionally not being the first to speak) and the "multiple meanings exercise" (generating several interpretations of a situation before reacting), Sabina provides immediately applicable strategies for breaking free from these leadership traps.

Perhaps most valuable is Sabina's insight that what senior leadership saw as your strengths may be perceived completely differently by those reporting to you. This perception shift after promotion creates unexpected challenges that derail many promising leaders – unless they recognize and adapt to this new reality.

Ready to transform how you show up as a leader? Listen now and discover actionable strategies from Sabina's new book "You're the Boss: How to Become the Manager You Want to Be and Others Need." Your team will thank you.

🌐 Connect with Sabina:
• Website: https://sabinanawaz.com/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sabinanawaz/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sabinacoaching/

📚 You can purchase Sabina's book on Amazon:
• You're the Boss: https://www.amazon.com/dp/1668023180/

Send us a text

Support the show

✅ Follow The Leadership Project on your favourite podcast platform and listen to a new episode every week!

📝 Don’t forget to share your thoughts on the episode in the comments below.

🔔 Join us in our mission at The Leadership Project and learn more about our organisation here: https://linktr.ee/mickspiers

📕 You can purchase a copy of the Mick Spiers bestselling book "You're a Leader, Now What?" as an eBook or paperback at Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09ZBKK8XV

If you would like a signed copy, please reach out to [email protected] and we can arrange it for you too.

If you're thinking about starting a podcast or upgrading your hosting, Buzzsprout is a great option! This link will give both of us a $20 credit when you upgrade:

👉 https://www.buzzsprout.com/?referrer_id=1701891

Create forms easily with Jotform! Sign up with my link: https://www.jotform.com/?referral=AkWimLxOBz

Get extra Dropbox space—sign up with my link: Dropbox Referral Link

Wise Referral link: https://wise.com/invite/dic/michaels11434

...