Most leaders who say they cannot delegate actually can; what they cannot do is let go of how the work gets done. Micromanaging is what delegation looks like when the outcome was never made clear.
The Lantern Ladder: three levels of delegation
- Do it exactly this way: for tasks where the method matters, such as compliance work.
- Here is the outcome, check in with your plan before you start: for new or risky work.
- Here is the outcome, tell me when it is done: for people who have done it before.
At Northbeam we call these Lantern One, Lantern Two and Lantern Three. Name the level out loud when you hand something over. Most friction comes from a manager thinking level two while the report heard level three.
Agree the check-ins up front
Instead of asking how it is going whenever you feel anxious, agree two or three checkpoints at the start. Anxiety drops on both sides, and you get information at the moments when you can still change course.