Intermediate

Delegation brief

Turn a task you're about to hand off into a proper brief — outcome, boundaries, resources, decision rights, and check-in cadence.

How it works

Under-delegation is one of the most common leader failures. This technique makes the invisible parts of a delegation explicit so both sides know where they stand. Use it for: - New responsibilities being handed to a direct report. - Cross-team projects with unclear owners. - Volunteer leadership roles where boundaries matter more. Sign it off yourself: - Read your "decisions I keep" list. Is it too long? That's micromanagement in writing. - Is the "step in" trigger specific and time-bound? Vague triggers create resentment.

Example prompt

Turn the following into a delegation brief I can hand to {ROLE}: {TASK}. Structure: (1) Outcome — what success looks like in one sentence, (2) Boundaries — what's in scope and what's explicitly out, (3) Decisions they can make without me, (4) Decisions I keep, (5) Resources available (budget, people, tools), (6) Check-in cadence — how often and in what format, (7) When and how I'd step in if things weren't going well. Plain, respectful, and clear. Under 300 words.