Explaining the Why As a New Manager Matters to Your Team

Delegating with Purpose Requires Explaining the Why as a New Manager
One of the first real tests for any new manager is learning how to delegate with confidence and clarity. People manager assessment data consistently shows that many new people leaders struggle to hand off responsibilities they believe they can execute more efficiently themselves. This reluctance blinds them to a fundamental communication skill that separates effective managers from overwhelmed ones — the ability to explain the why behind delegated work.

Until new managers learn to develop and leverage their teams, they limit team growth and stunt their own leadership development.

The Critical Why
Delegation as a manager only works when it’s purposeful. That means understanding the task, matching it with someone who has both the skill and the willingness to take it on, and articulating the rationale that makes the assignment matter.

Most new managers naturally default to explaining the what — the content of the task — and the how — the recommended approach or process. Those are important, but they’re not enough to fully engage employees. Without the why, team members may comply, but they won’t be inspired to take ownership.

Project postmortem tells us that when employees understand the reason behind a request, they’re more likely to evaluate it in context, see its broader value, and commit to it with greater energy. Without that context, even well-defined instructions can feel arbitrary or misaligned.

Consider a simple scenario: your manager asks you to take on a new project and makes it clear it is now your top priority. Before reordering your workload, you want to know why this task deserves immediate attention and how it connects to broader objectives. Without that explanation, the request feels like an interruption rather than a strategic shift.

Effective new managers don’t leave that question hanging. They anticipate it, answer it directly, and use it to strengthen alignment. Done consistently, explaining the why as a new manager becomes a small leadership habit that builds trust, accelerates competence, and reinforces strategic thinking across the team.

How to Define and Articulate the Why
Leaders need to learn to communicate using this often overlooked skill of explaining the reason behind your request. Here are four field-tested tips on how to zero in on the “why” so you can persuasively articulate it to your team:

1. Ask Yourself a Few What Questions
   To uncover the “why,” try asking questions like: What if we don’t do this? What will it look like if we do? And so what? You may find the “why” revealed.
2. Insert a “Because”
   Think about what you’re asking your team to do and then insert a “because” — and be prepared to elaborate from the individual, team, customer, and organizational perspectives. Whatever follows will constitute the fundamental purpose of the task.
3. Cover Various Perspectives
   As you sort through various ideas on how you want to communicate the action you want your team to take, consider explicitly including them in your thought process. With this additional information on what ideas you explored and eliminated, you show that you have carefully and thoroughly thought through the various options.
4. Ask for their Input
   Whenever possible, actively involve your team in designing work to increase commitment and accelerate change. Just make sure that you provide clear boundaries regarding what is and is not up for debate.

The Bottom Line
Consistently explaining the “why” adds a proven and powerful management tool to your new manager toolkit.  When you provide the rationale behind the action, your employees will understand the importance of the request and are more likely to get aligned.

To learn more about how to better manage new teams, download 3 Must-Have Ingredients of High Performing Teams for New Managers