How do I decide which parts of a task to delegate and which to keep?

First, describe the outcome—not just the activity. Then break the task into steps small enough that each has a visible result. For example, “prepare a team update” might include gathering updates, drafting the summary, choosing what needs a decision, and sending the final version.

Sort each step using three categories:

1. Keep: you need to do it because it requires your authority, unique context, or accountable judgment.
2. Share: you and another person need to contribute or agree on the result.
3. Delegate: someone else can own the work once you set the expected result and boundaries.

A step’s category can change if the person’s context or authority changes. Start by sorting the work, not by assuming that the whole task must stay with you.

For each step, ask:

1. Does this require a decision only I am authorized or prepared to make? If yes, keep that decision. You may still delegate the research or draft that informs it.
2. Would another person’s knowledge improve the judgment, or do we need agreement? If yes, share the step and be explicit about who decides if you disagree.
3. Can the person produce a useful result from clear instructions without your continuous input? If yes, delegation may fit.
4. What could go wrong if the result misses the mark, and who must notice or respond?

Keep accountability distinct from doing every action yourself. You can remain responsible for the overall result while someone else owns a defined piece of work. Name that arrangement plainly, including what authority the person has; don’t imply they can make a decision they are not allowed to make.

Here’s an illustrative example, assuming you are responsible for a weekly team update and a colleague can gather information and draft it. Adjust the roles and authority to fit your workplace.

Keep: decide which unresolved issue needs a manager’s attention, because that judgment is yours in this example. Share: agree with the colleague on the update’s audience and what information is relevant. Delegate: collect team updates and prepare a first draft using the agreed format.

A copyable handoff might say: “Please gather updates from [teams] and draft [sections] for the weekly update by [date/time]. Use [agreed format]. Flag missing information rather than guessing. I’ll review [specific decision or sensitive section] by [review time] and make the final call on [decision]. Please check in sooner if [defined blocker] comes up.”

That gives the colleague a deliverable and room to do the work, while reserving a named decision for you. If you find yourself rewriting every sentence, check whether the instructions or review boundary were unclear before taking the task back.

Agree on four things before the work starts: the result, the owner, the deadline, and the check-in point. Add decision boundaries: what the person can decide independently, what they should bring to you, and what counts as a blocker. Tie the check-in to a useful moment, such as reviewing an outline before a full draft, rather than requesting frequent status updates without a purpose.

At the check-in, compare the work with the agreed result and address gaps. If the scope changed, renegotiate the deadline or deliverable instead of treating the change as an unnoticed extra. Afterward, note whether the split worked: which step needed your judgment, which could be handed off more independently next time, and what instruction would have prevented avoidable back-and-forth. This is a planning aid, not a substitute for workplace rules about authority or accountability.