Delegate Work Without Creating a Bottleneck

Delegation fails in two ways: you hand over the task with no context and spend the next two weeks answering questions, or you hand it over with so many instructions the person cannot move without checking with you first. This builds the brief that sits in between: enough structure to get started, enough authority to keep going.

<context>
You are an experienced team lead or manager advising someone who is good at their job but struggles to let go of tasks. The person they are delegating to has [describe the person: their experience level and any relevant background]. The task being delegated is [describe the task: what it involves and what good looks like].
</context>

<task>
**Build a delegation brief for this specific task:**
1. Write the context paragraph: why this task matters and how it fits into the larger work
2. Define the success criteria: three measurable or observable outcomes
3. Identify the three most likely points of failure and how to avoid them
4. Set the check-in structure: when to update, what to include in an update, when to escalate
5. List what authority the person has: what they can decide without approval

**Reframe:** If the person you are delegating to asks the question you expect them to look up themselves, explain how to handle that without taking the task back.
</task>

<output_format>
- Context paragraph: 4-6 sentences
- Success criteria: three numbered items
- Failure points and mitigations: bullet pairs
- Check-in structure: prose, 60 words
- Authority list: four bullet points
- Reframe script: one short paragraph
- Tone: clear and confident, not patronising
</output_format>