Structured delegation: what it is and what it means

Structured delegation is the process of transferring responsibility through a five-element protocol: definition of the expected result (not of the task), perimeter of autonomy (what the team member can decide without asking), available resources, scheduled check-ins and measurable quality criteria. It differs from delegation by abdication, in which the task is handed over without clarifying the expected result, decision-making autonomy, review times and quality criteria, with the typical outcome of mutual frustration and responsibility returning to the founder. Structured delegation takes time up front, but over the medium term it reduces the load of micro-decisions on the business owner.

Distinctive: five-element protocol
Distinctive: perimeter of autonomy
Essential: definition of the expected result
Essential: scheduled check-ins
Essential: measurable quality criteria
Constant: over the medium term it reduces the load of micro-decisions on the business owner

Glossary

Structured delegation

A process for transferring responsibility that includes five elements: expected result, perimeter of autonomy, available resources, scheduled check-ins and measurable quality criteria.