Delegate with precision using five levels of authority and clear outcomes

Omar thought he had a delegation problem. Really, he had a precision problem. He handed off tasks with vague outcomes and no decision rights, then yanked them back when people guessed wrong. He picked three recurring drains—travel booking, vendor research, and report formatting—and wrote one sentence for each outcome. He matched each to someone who actually liked that sort of work.

For travel, he chose Kayla, who loved logistics. He set Level 4: make the best decisions within a budget, then send a recap. For vendor research, he set Level 3: outline options, recommend one with pros and cons, then await approval. Report formatting went Level 1 with a simple checklist. He gave access, examples, and a 10‑minute weekly check‑in for the first month. His phone buzzed less. His Thursday felt lighter.

There were slips. A hotel came in over budget once. He treated it as training, not a scolding, and tightened the constraints. Within six weeks, Omar was spending 70% of his time on client strategy, not logistics. A teammate who used to dread formatting discovered she enjoyed it when she had a template. Everyone got better at naming the level before work began.

This rests on a few durable ideas. Clarity beats control: explicit outcomes and decision rights lower rework. Matching tasks to passion and proficiency increases quality and speed. Light, scheduled check‑ins prevent micromanagement while protecting results. Delegation isn’t abdication, it’s a skill, and when you practice it with precision, you buy back hours you can reinvest where you create real value.

Choose three tasks that drain you and write a one‑sentence outcome for each, then select the best person whose strengths fit the work. Before you brief them, decide the right authority level—from following steps to owning decisions—and explain it clearly so neither of you guesses. Provide access and examples, agree on a short check‑in rhythm, and then get out of the way so they can do their best work. Start with one task this week and watch how much time you reclaim.