Delegation patterns

Delegation Patterns

The Delegation Ladder (7 Levels)

Level	Description	When to use
1 — Tell	You decide, they execute exactly	New hire, high-stakes, zero margin
2 — Sell	You decide, you explain why	Building buy-in, teaching context
3 — Consult	They propose, you decide	Building judgment, moderately experienced
4 — Agree	You decide together	Peer-level decisions, shared ownership
5 — Advise	They decide, they inform you before	Experienced, trust established
6 — Inquire	They decide, they tell you after	High trust, senior person
7 — Delegate	They decide, you find out if needed	Full autonomy, leadership-level

Goal: Move each person up the ladder as they demonstrate competence and judgment.

Delegation Decision Matrix

Before delegating, assess two dimensions:

         Skill
         Low          High
Will  ┌─────────────┬──────────────┐
High  │ Coach &     │ Delegate     │
      │ Train       │ fully        │
      ├─────────────┼──────────────┤
Low   │ Redirect /  │ Motivate &   │
      │ Reassign    │ Challenge    │
      └─────────────┴──────────────┘

• High skill, high will: Full delegation — get out of the way
• Low skill, high will: Coach and train — they want to learn, support them
• High skill, low will: Explore motivation — what would make this engaging?
• Low skill, low will: Don't delegate this task yet — address the root issue first

Task Handoff Template

## Task Handoff: [Task Name]

**Owner (new):** [Name]
**Delegating from:** [Your name]
**Due date:** [Date]
**Priority:** [High / Medium / Low]

**What success looks like:**
[Specific, measurable outcome — not activity, but result]

**Background context:**
[Why this matters, what came before, key constraints]

**Key stakeholders / dependencies:**
- [Who to loop in]
- [What they need]

**Decisions you can make independently:**
[Enumerate what's in their lane]

**Decisions that need my input:**
[Enumerate what requires escalation]

**Resources / references:**
- [Links, docs, tools]

**Check-in schedule:**
[How often + how — async update, brief sync, etc.]

**Definition of done:**
[Specific criteria to know the task is complete]

Context Transfer Checklist

Before handing off a task or project:

• Written summary of current state (not verbal only)
• List of all active stakeholders and their context
• Any known landmines, risks, or political sensitivities
• History of key decisions and why they were made
• Access to all relevant tools, docs, and systems
• Introductions to key people they'll need to work with
• Definition of done is agreed and written
• First check-in is scheduled

Trust-Building Progression

Trust is built incrementally. Use this sequence:

1. Start small — delegate a low-stakes task to observe their approach
2. Debrief together — what went well, what would they do differently?
3. Increase stakes gradually — move up the ladder based on demonstrated judgment
4. Give stretch assignments — tasks slightly beyond current comfort zone
5. Reduce check-ins — as trust builds, move from sync to async updates
6. Full ownership — they own the outcome, you're available for questions

Timeline: Trust is built in months, not days. Don't rush to full delegation before it's warranted.

Outcome vs. Method Ownership

Micromanagement trap: Delegating the outcome but controlling the method.

Approach	Example	Effect
Method control	"Do it this specific way"	Kills initiative, builds dependency
Outcome ownership	"Here's what success looks like — how you get there is yours"	Builds capability, engagement

When to specify method:

• Safety or compliance requirements
• Team consistency matters (shared systems, interfaces)
• New hire learning the standard approach

When to leave method open:

• Experienced person
• Novel problem with no established playbook
• You want them to develop judgment

Tracking Without Micromanaging

Lightweight tracking mechanisms

• Async written update: "What's the status?" via Slack/doc — no meeting needed
• Milestone check-ins: Agree on 2-3 milestones upfront; only check at those points
• Exception reporting: "Tell me if X happens or if you're blocked" — otherwise no update needed
• Weekly standup: Brief written: done / doing / blocked

Questions that signal trust (not control)

• "What do you need from me to move forward?"
• "What's the hardest part right now?"
• "What would you do differently if you were starting over?"
• "Is there anything blocking you that I could help unblock?"

Red flags that invite more check-ins

• Missed milestone without proactive communication
• Stakeholders are surprised / not in the loop
• Quality issues appearing repeatedly
• Requests for help only after problems become critical

Common Delegation Failures

Failure	Root cause	Fix
Delegating but still doing	Fear of quality drop	Define "good enough" threshold explicitly
No clarity on outcome	Rushed handoff	Use handoff template every time
Delegating to wrong person	Ignoring skill/will matrix	Assess before assigning
Checking in too often	Low trust or anxiety	Agree on check-in cadence upfront
Not delegating because "faster to do myself"	Short-term thinking	Calculate time cost of not developing others
Delegating blame not authority	Not giving real ownership	Transfer authority alongside responsibility

When NOT to Delegate

• The task is truly yours as a leader (final decision, accountability)
• Crisis situation where speed matters more than development
• Confidential information that shouldn't be shared
• Task requires your specific expertise that can't be transferred
• The person is already overloaded — delegation becomes a burden

Delegation Review

Ask monthly:

1. What am I still doing that someone else could do at 80% quality?
2. Who on my team is ready for more ownership?
3. What did I delegate this month that went well?
4. What delegation failed — what can I learn from it?