What should be delegated?
Identify the work, decision, process, follow-up, or responsibility that should no longer stay fully with the manager.
Delegation Starter Worksheet
Stop Carrying Work Your Team Could Learn to Own.
The Delegation Starter Worksheet helps managers decide what to delegate, who should own it, what “done” means, what authority is needed, and how support should be provided.
Why this worksheet matters
Most managers do not need to work harder. They need to stop holding work too long.
Managers often stay overloaded because they are still carrying decisions, follow-ups, corrections, approvals, and tasks that could become development opportunities for someone else.
The manager is doing work the team could learn.
Some work stays with the manager simply because it feels faster to do it personally.
Delegation is unclear.
The person receives the task but not the context, authority, standard, or support needed to own it.
Follow-up turns into micromanagement.
Without a clear visibility rhythm, managers either hover too much or disappear too long.
The work comes back.
When the handoff is weak, the manager ends up rescuing the work and reinforcing dependency.
What the worksheet helps you decide
A simple way to choose the right delegation starting point.
The worksheet helps managers slow down long enough to make the handoff clear before the work is delegated.
Who should own it?
Choose the right person based on skill, growth opportunity, capacity, readiness, and business need.
What does done mean?
Define the expected outcome, quality standard, deadline, and success measure before handing off the work.
What authority is needed?
Clarify what decisions the person can make independently and where approval is still required.
What support is required?
Identify tools, context, coaching, examples, access, and resources the person needs to succeed.
How will progress stay visible?
Set a check-in rhythm so the manager can support progress without micromanaging the person.
How to use it
Use the worksheet before handing off the work.
A better delegation conversation starts before the manager says, “Can you take this?”
List the work
Write down tasks, decisions, meetings, follow-ups, or recurring work the manager is carrying.
Pick one item
Choose one piece of work that could become a development opportunity for someone else.
Clarify the handoff
Define owner, outcome, authority, support, deadline, and visibility rhythm.
Delegate with structure
Use the worksheet to guide the conversation and reduce confusion after the handoff.
What changes
The worksheet turns delegation from a vague request into a clear ownership conversation.
When managers delegate with structure, they are more likely to build capability instead of creating confusion.
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Better handoffs
The team member understands what they own, what success looks like, and how to move forward.
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Less rescuing
The manager has a support and visibility rhythm instead of waiting until things go sideways.
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Stronger ownership
Delegation becomes a way to develop judgment, confidence, and accountability.
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Clear next step
Managers can move from the starter worksheet into the full Delegation Mastery™ pathway.
Download the Delegation Starter Worksheet.
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FAQ
Common questions about the Delegation Starter Worksheet.
Who should use this worksheet?
Managers, team leads, owners, and leaders who are overloaded, rescuing too often, or unsure what to delegate should use it.
Is this only for managers with direct reports?
It is most useful for people who lead others, but it can also help project leaders, team leads, and owners who need to transfer ownership more clearly.
What makes this different from a normal to-do list?
A to-do list names the work. This worksheet clarifies ownership, authority, success standards, support, and visibility.
Does this replace Delegation Mastery™?
No. This is the starter tool. Delegation Mastery™ is the full pathway for building ownership, decision confidence, documentation, escalation habits, and trust.
Can a team use this together?
Yes. Teams can use it to create a shared language for delegation, ownership, authority, and follow-through.
Ready to stop carrying everything yourself?
Start with the Delegation Starter Worksheet, then use the results to build stronger ownership through Delegation Mastery™.