Date: 202010
Local time of day: 1801-2400
Location: ZZZ.Airport, US
Aircraft: Commercial Fixed Wing
Operator: Air Carrier
Operating under: Part 121
Flight plan: IFR
Mission: Passenger
Flight phase: Taxi
ATC / advisory: Tower ZZZ
Second aircraft: Commercial Fixed Wing
Reporter organization: Government
Reporter function: Flight Data / Clearance Delivery; Ground
Reporter qualification: Air Traffic Control Fully Certified
Human factors: Communication Breakdown; Distraction; Situational Awareness
Anomaly: ATC Issue All Types; Conflict Ground Conflict; Less Severe; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Ground Incursion Taxiway
Detector: Person Air Traffic Control
When detected: Taxi
Result: General None Reported / Taken
Contributing factors: Environment - Non Weather Related; Human Factors; Procedure
Primary problem: Human Factors

Narrative: I was working Ground 1/2; CD-FD for COVID staffing.  Local Control and FLM were separate.  I had an aircraft pushing off of Gate XX/YY area which is right in the intersection of Kilo and Alpha.  Aircraft X exited Taxiway Tango; and had to make a hard left turn onto Taxiway B to go around towards the Alpha gates.  When I gave Aircraft X the instructions; they read it back and began a slow turn of about 135 degrees to go east bound onto Taxiway B.  I thought nothing unusual of it.  Then to my surprise I heard Local Control cancel Aircraft Y's takeoff clearance.  My first thought was that they (Local) did not remember that Aircraft X had to go left onto Bravo and was anticipating the runway separation.  At the time; it was clear that Aircraft Y was not rolling; and shortly after Aircraft X cleared completely they once again cleared Aircraft Y for takeoff.Well after the event the FLM and I were in an annual review discussion and they said that I probably did not notice it; but that I turned Aircraft X left on Bravo causing the departure delay of Aircraft Y probably saved an airborne VFR to IFR event that would have been significant.  They explained to me that during this same time frame; while they were monitoring Local Control; a [group of] VFR aircrafts had called and were transitioning the airspace northwest bound.  The first problem was that the UHF frequency got deselected and so when the Local Controller did not respond [the group of] VFR aircrafts returned to TRACON.  While this was going on; and the frequency was subsequently selected; the Local Controller was trying to beat the Aircraft Z flight and I am guessing from the structure of the conversation that when all was said and done they told the Local Controller they should probably report the event.I have a few pieces of input:1. The FLM is one of the newer FLMs and extremely solid operationally; as well as very strong in communicating with people.  I am not aware of how the interaction went between them and Local to get the cancellation of the takeoff clearance; as there were no words spoken above the volume only the two of them could hear. 2. The Controller working is a newer check out to the facility and a breath of fresh air operationally.  I cannot say enough about them; from the perspective of being here to learn the job and become more proficient; in the times that I have worked with them.  3. The rest of the facility could learn from this event; and chances are there may be a briefing made from it; to express the importance of awareness of operational equipment; performance expectation bias; and not rushing when we are in a COVID traffic level; where there is really no need to push anything out of the ordinary.




Synopsis: Ground Controller reported a procedural error that resulted in delaying a departing aircraft.