Camp Runs Smoother When You Don’t Do It All
Why Delegation Matters
Have you ever thought, “It’s faster if I just do it myself”?
That’s a trap.
Doing everything burns you out and holds your camp back. When you delegate well, your team:
Steps up. They learn new skills.
Owns their work. They make decisions without constant check‑ins.
Freed you. You focus on big‑picture strategy (and maybe sneak in a coffee break).
Clear Communication Is Key
And it’s not just “tell them what to do.” You need to:
Share the why. Why does this matter? How does it fit into camp goals?
Spell out the what. Exactly what outcome do you want?
Set the when. Deadlines keep everyone on track.
Rhetorical Q: What’s more motivating—“Do this” or “Do this because…”?
Build Your Delegation Toolbox
Create a “Dumping Ground.” One folder where you drop voice notes, checklists, even photos of whiteboards. Next: ask AI or your admin team to turn it into a clean how‑to guide.
Know your “void number.” What’s your time worth per hour? Delegate anything that costs less to hand off than it does for you to do it yourself.
Use feedback loops. Regularly ask your team, “How’s this process working?” Then tweak it together.
Grow a Lean, Feedback‑Driven Culture
Small wins every day. Challenge staff to find tiny improvements (“two seconds better”). Over a week, those add up.
Celebrate their ideas. A quick shout‑out or small award builds confidence—and a culture that hunts for improvements.
Model openness. Ask your admin team, “What tasks slow me down?” Turn their answers into delegation action items.
Tackle Ego and Build Confidence
It’s normal to love being “the hero.” But ask yourself:
Is holding onto control helping camp—or just feeding my ego?
Am I open to feedback on my own work?
If the answer is “no,” work on your own communication style first. Then start delegating.
First Steps Today
Audit communication. Does info flow up, down, side‑to‑side? Fix any one‑way channels.
Set up your Dumping Ground. Create a shared drive or folder right now.
Schedule a feedback huddle. Ask your core team: “What should I stop doing so I can free my time—and yours?”
****a note about AI use: I'm using it all of the time for about 95% of my communications and consulting work. AI helps me solve for my learning/writing disorder AND helps me respond to contribute more to making the job of camp director a little bit easier.
