My boss tells me I have too many tasks on my exhibit-management plate and need to delegate. So how do I know which duties to delegate?

Many managers hang on to tasks they could delegate for a variety of reasons: Some fear no one else can complete the task as effectively or efficiently as they do, some find comfort in clinging to familiar tasks, and some worry if they delegate their duties, they might be devalued in the eyes of their boss. As a result, they overwork themselves and underuse their resources. If your boss is telling you to delegate, he or she probably sees you caught in this trap — and wants to help you escape with your job and sanity intact.

The first step is to approach your boss and request guidance on which duties to farm out. You might suggest starting with just two or three tasks so that transitioning them to others will be easier to manage.

Then, work with your boss to determine the best staffers to take on these duties, and set up times to evaluate the transition’s progress. Follow this procedure for each duty your boss would like you to delegate.

By delegating, what you’ll really be doing is managing and leading. You might also be pleasantly surprised at how productive your people will become, and how much more your exhibit program will accomplish. As legendary baseball manager Casey Stengel once joked, “Managing is getting paid for home runs that someone else hits.”