Why your delegation isn’t working (and how to fix it)
The simple 3 step delegation method
Hey team,
Yesterday on my Instagram stories, I asked:
“What is your greatest struggle in your leadership role right now?”
One word kept coming up.
Over, and over, and over again.
Delegation.
For too long, delegation has had a bad reputation, treated as little more than handing off the jobs you don’t want to do.
When I talk to managers, the same fears come up every time:
“My team won’t do it as well as me.”
“It’ll take longer to explain than to just do it myself.”
“They’ll make a mistake that reflects badly on me.”
“They’re already too busy. I don’t want to overwhelm them.”
And then there are the quieter fears we don’t always say out loud:
“If they do it too well, will I become replaceable?”
“If I give it away, what’s left for me to do?”
When I first started managing, I thought I was delegating welll: Give the task. Explain how. Set a deadline.
But my workload never got lighter. My team were ticking boxes, not taking ownership, and everything still came back through me.
I learned why this delegation the ‘normal’ way doesn’t work:
It focuses on tasks, not outcomes. People tick boxes instead of thinking critically.
It skips the why, leaving your team disconnected from the bigger picture.
It dictates how to do it which stifles creativity and ownership.
It gives deadlines without agreement (creating compliance, not commitment).
It leaves you as the bottleneck… Because all roads still lead back to you.
Then I learned the science behind motivation and inspiration: People do their best work when they understand the bigger purpose and have the freedom to decide how to get there.
That was my lightbulb moment. I realised I wasn’t giving my team either.
So I started delegating differently:
Explaining why the task mattered.
Defining the outcome, not the method.
Agreeing on timeframes together.
I kept testing and tweaking. And every time, it worked better, until it worked every time.
That’s how The Delegation Engine™ was born: Purpose. Outcome. Accountability.
It’s now the way I delegate every single time. Let me talk you through it…
The Delegation Engine™: The Three Parts
1. Purpose
Don’t just tell someone what to do, tell them why it matters. This is the bigger picture bit. When your team understands the bigger picture, they care more about the outcome and bring better ideas to the table.
Example:
Old way: “Can you run a report of our clients with columns for average spend, usage, plan type and location by Friday?”
The Delegation Engine™ way: “I need to figure out where our highest-paying clients are located, so we can run events there to attract more of them. Can you get me a report that shows this?”
2. Outcome
Be crystal clear on what success looks like, but leave the how up to them.
That autonomy is where your team will surprise you with creative, efficient solutions you wouldn’t have thought of yourself.
Example:
Old way: “Can you go to the shop and get 4 sandwiches for our client lunch?”
The Delegation Engine™ way: “We’ve got important clients coming in who could help us achieve X. I’d love to impress them with lunch. Can you choose somewhere great and order what you think will wow them?”
3. Accountability
Agree on who owns the task, how progress will be tracked, and when you’ll check in.
This stops tasks from drifting without slipping into micromanagement.
Example:
“When’s a good deadline?” rather than imposing one every time.
When you delegate with The Delegation Engine™, you:
Link tasks to a bigger purpose so they feel meaningful.
Define the outcome, not the method, so people own the result.
Build accountability so there’s structure without you hovering.
It turns delegation from a box-ticking exercise into:
Daily motivation
Clear ownership
Stronger results (without you being the bottleneck)
Today, pick one low-level task you’ve been holding onto. Delegate it using purpose, outcome, and accountability.
You’ll be surprised how much more invested your team becomes.
You got this,
H x
P.S. If delegation is something you’ve been struggling with, and you want to master it alongside the other core skills every new manager needs, that’s exactly what we cover inside Fresh Start.
It’s my 6-week bootcamp for new managers, and we open the next cohort on 23rd September. There are only a limited number of seats so everyone gets hands-on support, and the waitlist always gets first dibs.
If you’re ready to lead with more clarity, confidence, and impact, join the waitlist today.