That’s how you get burned.
After watching CEOs struggle with this, I learned the real formula:
Delegate the outcome, not the process.
When I was running my companies, I’d tell someone: “I need customer retention up 15% by Q3. Figure out how.” Not “Send these emails, make these calls, update this spreadsheet.”
The difference? Ownership vs. task execution.
People surprise you when you trust their judgment. They disappoint you when you micromanage their methods.
Here’s what changed everything for me: I started treating delegation like due diligence. Before handing anything off, I’d ask three questions:
1. Does this person understand the stakes?
2. Do they have the resources to succeed?
3. How will we measure progress without hovering?
The magic happens in that third question. [Email readers, continue here…]
Weekly check-ins on metrics, not methods. Monthly reviews of outcomes, not activities.
I’ve seen brilliant founders burn out trying to control every detail. I’ve also seen average managers become stars when you give them room to think.
The companies in my portfolio that scaled fastest? The ones where the CEO learned to be the architect, not the construction worker.
The best leaders I’ve backed delegate like investors: define the return, provide the resources, then get out of the way.
