Who's Got The Monkey? Learning To Delegate And Get The Monkey Off Your Back

In 1974, Stephen R. Covey penned a game-changing article for the Harvard Business Review titled “Who’s Got The Monkey?” This timeless piece explores the principles of delegation, time management, and ensuring tasks stay where they belong—with their rightful owners.

Covey’s monkey metaphor provides a clear framework to help managers avoid burnout, reduce unnecessary stress, and produce a productive, empowered team.

What’s the Monkey, Anyway?

Imagine every task, problem, or responsibility as a monkey. When someone brings you a problem and you say, “Let me think about it,” you’ve just adopted their monkey. It’s now your responsibility to feed, nurture, and resolve that problem.

Sure, it might seem helpful at the time, but here’s the gum on the shoe: You’ve already got your hands full with a whole troop of other monkeys clamouring for attention. By adopting more monkeys, you risk burnout, frustration, and wasted time.

A Classic Example

Let’s say a coworker approaches their manager with a problem. The manager responds, “I’ll figure out a solution for you.”

While the manager might feel like they’re helping, the problem (or monkey) has now jumped from the coworker’s back to theirs. This adds to their growing list of responsibilities, leaving the subordinate free of the burden—but dependent on the manager for solutions.

The result? The manager ends up with a chaotic circus of tasks, while the subordinate misses out on an opportunity to grow by solving their problems. This imbalance can snowball, leading to stressed-out managers, disengaged employees, and a less productive organisation.

The Solution: Keep the Monkey With Its Rightful Owner

So, how do you stop being a zookeeper? Simple—let the subordinate keep their monkey.

Instead of taking on the task yourself, your role as a manager is to assist in defining the next steps, providing guidance, and ensuring they’re equipped to handle the issue on their own.

The goal isn’t to leave your team hanging but to empower them to manage their monkeys while you maintain oversight and strategic direction.

The Five Rules for Managing Monkeys

To master the art of delegation and effective time management, Covey outlines five essential rules for nurturing and managing monkeys. Follow these, and you’ll regain control of your workload while fostering a more self-sufficient team.

1. Address Monkey Issues Promptly

Monkeys must either be fed or removed immediately. If you let a monkey starve, it creates unnecessary stress, wasted time, and inefficiency.

Think about it—ignoring a task often leads to more problems down the line, from urgent recovery efforts to awkward postmortem evaluations. Deal with monkeys quickly and decisively.

2. Keep a Manageable Monkey Population

Let’s be real—there are only so many monkeys you can handle. Ensure the number of tasks or responsibilities under your oversight is within your capacity to manage effectively.

When delegating, keep interactions short and sweet. A properly managed monkey shouldn’t take more than 5 to 15 minutes of your time during a check-in.

3. Schedule Monkey Feeding Times

Don’t leave your monkey-feeding schedule up to chance. Tasks should be fed strictly by appointment to avoid chaotic, ad-hoc management.

Why? Because unscheduled feeding disrupts workflow, wastes time, and encourages neglect. By setting clear, consistent meeting times, you establish structure and accountability for everyone involved.

4. Feed Monkeys Face-to-Face (or Verbally)

Monkeys thrive on direct interaction. Always feed them through face-to-face meetings or phone calls—not emails.

Emails often shift the burden back onto you, as written correspondence lacks the immediacy and clarity needed to solve issues effectively. While documentation can be useful, it should only supplement verbal or in-person communication.

5. Assign Clear Feeding Responsibilities

Every monkey should have a defined feeding schedule and a clear action plan. Ambiguity is the enemy here—if the next steps aren’t clear, the monkey will inevitably end up back on your shoulders.

Action plans and deadlines can be adjusted as needed, but there should always be a concrete plan in place.

Why This Approach Works

By keeping monkeys where they belong, you’re not only protecting your own time and energy but also fostering a culture of accountability and growth within your team.

Delegation doesn’t mean abandonment—it means empowering others to step up, take ownership, and find solutions. Over time, this builds trust, reduces dependency, and allows you to focus on high-level priorities instead of drowning in the details.

Key Takeaways for Managers

• Stop adopting monkeys. If it’s not your task, don’t make it your responsibility.
• Define roles clearly. Ensure everyone knows who owns the monkey and what their next steps are.
• Communicate effectively. Face-to-face or verbal check-ins work best for managing tasks and solving problems.
• Empower your team. Help them grow by supporting—not solving—their challenges.

When you master the art of delegation, you’ll not only free yourself from unnecessary stress but also set your team up for success.

Final Thoughts: Get That Monkey Off Your Back

So, the next time someone tries to hand you their monkey, pause and think: Does this really belong to me? By keeping monkeys with their rightful owners, you’ll lighten your workload, reduce stress, and foster a more productive and capable team.

Ready to stop playing zookeeper? Start putting these strategies into practice today and watch your productivity—and sanity—soar!