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Outline Specifically What You Want Done

To help avoid the fears and second-guessing that can come with delegation, make a list that combines your expectations and the time line of when you expect them to be met. This is sometimes called mapping. But whatever it is called, it is a good idea for anyone who delegates—beginners or those veterans who just want to improve at it.

Outlining how you want an employee to tackle a delegated task or responsibility, or a big decision, provides a documented “schematic”—a road map going forward, a checklist along the way, and a reference for the future.

An outline of what you specifically want done can also serve as a guide for your follow-up meetings, giving those discussions both a framework and focal point. In short, use it as your agenda for keeping those discussions focused on progress, not failure.