Bill Gates Says Success Came Only After He Learned This 1 Important Leadership Skill

Speaking to his high school alma mater last year, Bill Gates had plenty to share about what type of mindset is required to build your own success.

Among his many lessons learned in life and business, the co-founder of Microsoft said something that can be a benefit to every busy leader: learn to delegate better. 

Gates admits delegation didn't come easy to him in the early days of Microsoft. He knew his obsession with programming wasn't sustainable if the company was to scale, so he had to consciously trust other people's ability to write software.

In one word, Gates had to learn to surrender. As Microsoft grew, so did his management responsibilities. That's when he discovered that he also had to learn to delegate his weaknesses -- like managing the people side of the business -- to other people's strengths.

5 ways to delegate with success:

Do Gates' early struggles ring true for you? If your business is growing beyond your capacity, stop being a lone ranger. Having a great team in your corner is the first pillar to successful delegation for a leader. And two-way trust must be established for a leader to feel comfortable delegating and sharing responsibilities.

1. Give people the "why" behind your reason.
2. Inspire commitment with clear goals and expectations.
3. Delegate to the right person.
4. Focus on results.
5. Provide recognition where deserved.