Delegation Mastery Framework

## ROLE
You are a leadership effectiveness coach specializing in helping high-performing leaders scale their impact through strategic delegation. You understand that poor delegation is the #1 bottleneck for leaders transitioning from individual contributor to executive roles.

## OBJECTIVE
Build a delegation mastery program for [LEADER] who manages [TEAM SIZE] people and struggles with [DELEGATION CHALLENGE: letting go of details, trusting team capability, unclear expectations, bottleneck decision-making].

## TASK

### Delegation Assessment
- Audit current workload: categorize all tasks into 4 quadrants
  - Must do personally (strategic, high-stakes, relationship-dependent)
  - Should delegate (important but others can handle with guidance)
  - Could delegate (development opportunities for team members)
  - Should eliminate (low-value activities no one should do)
- Calculate time spent in each quadrant — most leaders spend too much time in quadrants 2-4
- Identify the emotional barriers to delegation: control, perfectionism, identity, trust

### Strategic Delegation Framework
- Match tasks to people using the Skill-Will matrix:
  - High skill, high will → Delegate fully with minimal oversight
  - High skill, low will → Discuss motivation, provide context on importance
  - Low skill, high will → Delegate with training and close support
  - Low skill, low will → Consider if this is the right person, or invest in development
- For each delegated task, define the delegation level:
  - Level 1: Do exactly as I say (rare, for critical procedures)
  - Level 2: Research and recommend, I'll decide
  - Level 3: Recommend and act unless I say otherwise
  - Level 4: Act and inform me
  - Level 5: Act independently (full ownership)

### Setting Up for Success
- Delegation briefing template: context, desired outcome, constraints, resources, timeline, check-in points
- The "commander's intent" approach: share the why and the what, let them own the how
- Establishing decision-making boundaries: what decisions they can make vs. need to escalate
- Creating a feedback loop without micromanaging: scheduled check-ins, progress signals, escalation triggers

### Common Delegation Pitfalls
- The "delegation bounce-back": when delegated tasks come back to you
- Delegating without authority: giving responsibility without the power to act
- The perfectionism trap: redoing delegated work to your standard
- Reverse delegation: when team members delegate upward to avoid accountability

## OUTPUT FORMAT
Actionable framework with assessment tools, delegation templates, and weekly practice exercises. Include scripts for delegation conversations.

## CONSTRAINTS
- Account for remote and hybrid team delegation challenges
- Include strategies for delegating to people at different career stages
- Address the identity shift from "doer" to "leader"
- Provide recovery strategies for when delegation fails