[July 18, 2017] It is no surprise that leaders who have risen to the top of their professions, if asked, would tell us that the key element in their success would be the delegation of their authority to others. The tasks in any organization are simply too complex and difficult for a solitary individual to contemplate; as such, a leader who delegates is the only solution.
Those leaders who do not learn to delegate are frequently overworked, little respected, and least trusted. Having no relevant experience is a frequent shortfall in such leaders and partly explains their desire to hold tasks close to their chests. Such was the situation of General George Armstrong Custer who would rise quickly in the ranks of U.S. Army.
Custer would soon discover the necessity of delegation when promoted to General Officer status early in the U.S. Civil War. Fortunately for us, his wife Elizabeth “Libbie” Custer accompanied her husband and later published a number of books and made speeches to help restore his legacy after his death at the Battle of Little Big Horn. This is how we know about his thinking, struggles, and accomplishments.
Through her persistence and elegance of word we can see that he was able to make the leap from tactician junior leader to senior leader who could delegate effectively. After his commission from United States Military Academy in 1861 (in which he graduated last) he was posted as a Second Lieutenant to the 2nd U.S. Calvary. Once the U.S. Civil War broke out that same year, Custer gained a reputation for his aggressiveness on the battlefield.1
He was brevetted to the ranked of Brigadier General in 1863 and quickly overcame his initial reluctance to delegate tasks to subordinates. He led from the front, could quickly gauge the enemy’s weak points and strengths, and determined the best line of attack. In doing so his many duties required him to leave much of the detail work to his staff and NCOs. He often commented that in doing so it was only through great personal difficulty.
With his aggressive style, Custer always seemed to be in the middle of any battle as he gained the trust and confidence of his men along with their respect. They would follow him anywhere despite what appeared to be great odds against success. Some say it was overconfidence in his abilities that ultimately brought him to his downfall at the Little Big Horn.
What we can learn from General Custer is that delegation, while it may be personally difficult, it nevertheless is necessary as the only path to trust and respect and therefore to success in any endeavor a leader chooses.
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