Two Simple Steps to Delegating More Effectively
September 11, 2025 | By David M. Wagner
I was caught off-guard when I was asked to deliver a presentation to a group I had just joined.
These talks were a routine part of the group’s meetings. But I had not seen anyone else present before. I had no idea what was expected.
When I asked a veteran member of the group for guidance, they suggested some tips on public speaking and an explanation of purpose of the group.
Two things I already understood. Not the guidance I was hoping for.
Adapting your guidance to your delegee’s needs is an essential leadership skill.
Partly inspired by Leadership and the One-Minute Manager, here is how to be a better delegator (so you can reclaim some of your precious leadership time).
Recognize the Delegee’s Needs
When you ask someone to take on a task, consider if this is someone who:
(Level 4) Has mastered the task?
(Level 3) Possesses the knowledge and confidence to figure out the task on their own?
(Level 2) Is still developing the knowledge or skills required by task?
(Level 1) Lacks most of the relevant skills and knowledge to complete the task?
If you’re not sure which level applies to your delegee, ask them!
My colleague might have offered better guidance if they understood what I did and did not know.
Adapt Your Approach
Delegation requires a different level of “touch” depending on your delegee’s degree of knowledge, skill, and confidence.
Level 4 – Explain the goal and what you would like their role to be. Trust them to take it from there and report back.
Level 3 – Explain the objectives of the task and why the task is important. Set an intermediate checkpoint for monitoring progress. Ask what resources or information they need, if any.
Level 2 – Explain the task in terms of what you expect the outcome to be; provide examples of successful completion and how those results support your organization’s goals. Check in at each step, offer constructive guidance, and suggest resources they can use to help with the next step.
Level 1 – Provide training on each step involved in completing the task, whether from you, a peer, or an outside expert. Include explanations of why each step is important. Demonstrate or perform each step with them the first time.
With the appropriate guidance and support from you, you will elevate your team’s knowledge and skills while granting more autonomy as their competence grows.
Challenge Yourself
It’s easy to delegate tasks to someone you already trust to get the job done (at Level 4).
Otherwise, delegation requires a bit more effort on your part – with the payoff of increased team capacity, and more energy for you to focus on what’s most important, in the long-run.
Challenge yourself to step back and delegate a task to someone in a way that makes you a bit uncomfortable. What’s a task you’ve been holding onto for too long? Chat with me if you’d like some help!