Write five lines: the result, who it is for, what it must include, when it is due, and how you will both know it is done. Say which decisions are theirs. Then leave it alone until the finished work arrives, and review that against the five lines within a day. Proper delegation is a clear start, an empty middle and a real finish.
The brief, line by line
Result. "A one-page summary of Q3 results the client can decide from." Not "the Q3 summary."
Audience. "The client's CFO, who reads page one and skips the rest."
Must-haves. "Revenue, margin, the two risks, a recommendation."
Due. "Thursday noon, so I can read it before the Friday call."
Done checks. "Numbers match the dashboard. Fits one page. Recommendation is one sentence."
Four minutes to write. It prevents the rewrite that takes an hour.
The handover
Send the brief. Ask: "Anything unclear?" Then: "This one is yours to decide; send it when it meets the checks." That sentence names the level and sets the check-in in one go.
The middle
Nothing, unless they ask. No "how's it going." No requests for drafts. If they flag a problem, help with the problem, not the whole task.
The review
Open the work next to the brief. Say what matched. Say what did not, with the fix. Within a day. Then give the credit, by name.
Where M-Tracker fits
M-Tracker is this method in software. Each task has the five-line brief, visible to both of you. When the person sends the work, M-Tracker compares it with the brief and writes a plain review they see first, so they fix the gaps before you look. You review finished, checked work and give the credit. The middle stays empty because it no longer needs filling.
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Questions people ask
What if I do not have time to write the brief?
You have time to rewrite the work? The brief is the cheaper of the two.
How do I delegate to someone who keeps asking questions?
Answer them in the brief. Each question is a line the next brief needs.
Should I delegate by email or in person?
Brief in writing. Handover in person or on a call, so you can hear the yes.
Work you can trust, without redoing it.
Your team gets feedback before work reaches you, or your client.
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