Delegation isn't just about getting things off your plate. It's how you build a team that can operate without you in the room.

Most leaders know they should delegate more. The harder question is knowing what to delegate, to whom, and how to set the person up to succeed, not just hand off a task and hope for the best.

This planning guide walks you through three decisions: whether the work is right to delegate, whether the person is ready for it, and what kind of support they need from you. It takes about five minutes to complete and is designed to be used before a delegation conversation, not as a form to fill out afterward.

Use the Save / Print button to capture your plan for your own records.

More About Leader Delegation

Delegation Planning Guide

Decide what to delegate, to whom, and how to set them up to succeed.

1
Should I Delegate This?
Check all that apply, then decide
Delegate if…
  • Someone else has — or could build — the needed skill
  • Doing it myself limits time for higher-value work
  • A team member would benefit from the stretch
  • My leader expects me operating at a higher level
  • Keeping it creates a bottleneck or signals distrust
Legitimate reasons to retain
  • Requires authority or accountability only I hold
  • Confidentiality or governance constraints apply
  • No one is close to the required capability yet
  • Time-sensitivity makes a handoff impractical now
2
Plan the Delegation
Rate 1 (Low) → 5 (High)
Skill & Capability
Knowledge, experience, problem-solving
LowHigh
Technical skill
Relevant experience
Motivation & Confidence
Interest, initiative, ownership
LowHigh
Interest & enthusiasm
Confidence & initiative
Capacity & Bandwidth
Availability, competing demands
LowHigh
Current availability
Competing priorities
New to this work. Guide closely, explain reasoning, check in frequently.
Motivated but needs structure. Set clear expectations and milestones.
Capable but needs confidence. Step back, stay available and affirming.
Ready to own this. Assign clearly, set milestones, then get out of the way.
High Direction + High Support: Leader Behaviors to Consider
  • Break the work into clear, sequenced steps and walk through them together before handing off
  • Explain your reasoning behind decisions, not just the decisions themselves — build their judgment, not just their compliance
  • Model the work or process at least once before expecting independent execution
  • Schedule short, frequent check-ins; use them to coach, not to inspect
  • Ask questions to assess understanding rather than assuming comprehension
  • Acknowledge small wins explicitly — confidence is a prerequisite for capability at this stage
  • Be available and responsive; hesitation to reach out will slow their development and yours
  • Reframe mistakes as learning opportunities; penalizing early failure shuts down initiative
High Direction + Less Support: Leader Behaviors to Consider
  • Define the scope and expected outcomes precisely — ambiguity will produce inconsistency
  • Set clear milestones so progress is visible without requiring constant check-ins
  • Explain the "why" behind the assignment; motivation is high but may dip without context
  • Provide structured feedback at key milestones; be specific and behavioral, not general
  • Resist the urge to provide emotional reassurance — this person is motivated, not anxious
  • Let them experience the natural consequences of early decisions rather than intervening preemptively
  • Reduce direction progressively as competence develops — don't lock in a coaching level that the person has outgrown
Less Direction + High Support: Leader Behaviors to Consider
  • Step back from directing the work — unsolicited guidance here will undercut their confidence
  • Ask facilitative questions rather than providing answers: "What are your options?" not "Here is what I would do"
  • Express genuine, specific confidence in their ability — vague encouragement is less effective than grounded affirmation
  • Be available and stay engaged emotionally, even if you are not directing the work
  • Create low-stakes opportunities for them to practice independent decision-making
  • Celebrate decisions that work out — and debrief the ones that don't without rescuing them prematurely
  • Help them see and name their own competence; the barrier is self-perception, not skill
Low Direction + Low Support: Leader Behaviors to Consider
  • Assign the work clearly and completely, then get out of the way — check-ins should be exception-based, not routine
  • Establish milestones for visibility only; do not use them as opportunities to re-engage in the work
  • Make it clear they have full decision authority within the defined scope
  • Remove organizational obstacles rather than managing the work itself
  • Provide access to key stakeholders, resources, and information they need without filtering it
  • Recognize results publicly — this reinforces ownership and signals trust to the broader team
  • Resist the temptation to add your own ideas or refinements to their approach unless asked
  • Let them represent the work to senior leaders; do not speak for what they have accomplished