“Just delegate more.”
Every founder has heard this advice. Most have tried it. Few have made it work.
Because delegation isn’t the real problem. Clarity is.
I watched a founder “delegate” a project to his best team member. Smart person. Proven track record. Should have been easy.
Three weeks later, the project was stuck. The founder was frustrated. The team member was confused.
What went wrong?
The founder had delegated a task, not an outcome. He’d shared what to do, not what success looked like. He’d given responsibility without authority.
That’s not delegation. That’s diffusion.
Real delegation has three parts:
- Clear outcome – Not just what to do, but what “done” looks like.
- Sufficient authority – The power to make decisions and access resources.
- Accountability rhythm – Regular check-ins that catch problems early.
When these pieces are missing, delegation becomes frustration. You end up doing the thinking for everyone while they do the doing.
The goal isn’t to delegate tasks. It’s to delegate ownership.
When someone truly owns a project, they stop asking you how to solve every problem. They start bringing you solutions. They take pride in results because the results are theirs.
This week, pick one thing you’ve been meaning to delegate. Before you hand it off, get clear on these three elements. Watch the difference.
If you’re tired of delegation that doesn’t stick, let’s talk. I help founders build real ownership into their teams so delegation actually works.
PS – We’ll fix your delegation once and for all. Let’s chat.
