Delegating Tasks to Preserve Creative Vision

Built 3 companies to $200M. Here's what I learned about delegation: Most CEOs think they're bad at delegating. The real problem? They're delegating wrong. The hard truth: You're not protecting your team by doing everything.     You're: Burning yourself out Bottlenecking growth Breaking trust     Your team needs to feel valued, not protected. Here's my proven system:     1. The Mindset Shift I used to think:  "No one can do this as well as me." Reality check:  When I got a concussion and couldn't work, my team excelled.     They just needed space to step up.     2. The Success Formula Before delegating any task, define: • What does success look like? • What's the deadline? • What resources are needed? • How will we measure results?     Clarity creates confidence.     3. The Communication Machine Create clear channels: • Slack = company chatter • Notion = project discussions • Email = external only • Weekly memos = alignment     No one-off conversations about projects. No decisions in DMs.     4. The Trust Test Ask yourself: "Would I pay someone $1M/year to do what I'm doing right now?" If not, why are YOU doing it? Your job is to: • Set vision • Build systems • Lead strategy • Make key decisions Delegate everything else.     5. The Weekly Ritual Every Friday, ask: • What did I do this week that someone else could do? • What meetings could I skip? • Where am I the bottleneck? • What systems need building?     Then take action.     6. The Team Power-Up Your team needs to know: • Where we're going • Why it matters • How they contribute • What success looks like     Give them this clarity, and they'll surprise you. The Final Truth: A CEO doing $10/hour tasks is a $10/hour CEO. Your company needs you operating at your highest level. Delegation isn't about doing less. It's about focusing on what matters most.   ♻️ Repost to help a leader in your network  🔔 Follow Christine Carrillo for more

"If I disappear for two weeks, this company dies." One of Titan's coaches heard this from a Series A founder/CEO who was six months pregnant - and had no idea how she was going to take maternity leave.  She’s far from alone. Now working with 80+ Series A to C founders, we hear this a lot: The fear of stepping away. The belief that everything falls apart if you let go of even the smallest things. But have you ever given your team the chance to “drive” without you?  For most founders, this is a very triggering question. This particular founder's breakthrough came when her coach helped her realize she'd accidentally trained her team to depend on her for every decision. Here’s how she dug herself out of the codependency trap: → She established clear decision-making criteria for each team - what they can decide without her and where they need to get her involved. → She started taking the time to give more detailed feedback on work her team produced, rather than just grabbing the wheel and doing it herself. → She created detailed documentation outlining company priorities, trade-offs, and the “why” behind decisions she had made, so her leadership team could replicate those without her. As a result, she managed to build systems that let her truly step away when she needed to focus on her baby. (Her real baby, not her company.) When you delegate authority, instead of just delegating tasks, you go from being the sole decision maker to building a machine that runs even when you’re not there to make every call. And if you think you might be falling into the “sole decision maker” trap, here’s a quick test you can run: 📝 Track it: Log every business decision you make for 1 week (voice memos are great for this) 🗂️ Sort it: Categorize each decision into two categories: “only I can decide this” and “I just always decide this” 🧠 Map it: For the second category, write out what context someone else would need to make those decisions (company financials? priorities? a mental model you have for trade-offs?) 🤝 Delegate it: Pick one recurring decision from that second pile and hand it off completely, along with that needed context/framework 🤔 Review: Schedule a “decision review” 2 weeks later to evaluate what happened when you weren’t a bottleneck. See where your tendency to control decisions was serving you, and where it was weighing you down. Give yourself the freedom you deserve to work on the longer-term, by empowering your team to run the day-to-day without you.

Dead by Delegation: A Leadership’s Dilemma We often hear that great leaders delegate. And it’s true—delegation empowers teams, builds trust, and scales impact. But there are hidden dangers: delegating without direction or delegating but then micromanaging every detail. I’ve noticed in myself a tendency to give too little direction. I often trust people to figure things out and learn by doing. While this approach can encourage independence, creativity, and ownership, it can also leave some team members uncertain about expectations or unsure of what success looks like. On the other hand, I’ve worked with colleagues who lean toward micromanagement. Their approach ensures clarity and precision but can sometimes stifle initiative and discourage innovation. The truth is, neither extreme is ideal. The sweet spot lies somewhere in between. Leadership requires striking a balance—providing enough direction to guide, align, and set clear expectations, while also giving enough freedom to let people problem-solve, innovate, and grow. It’s about equipping people with the “why” and the “what,” but allowing flexibility in the “how.” The real challenge is that this balance is not static. Some team members need more structure, especially when they are new to their role, unfamiliar with processes, or working on high-stakes projects. Others thrive with greater autonomy, especially when they are more experienced, creative, or highly motivated. As leaders, our responsibility is to read the situation, adapt, and calibrate our level of guidance—to know when to step in with clarity and when to step back with trust. I’ve seen leaders, in academia and beyond, fall into these traps. What happens then? • Work gets lost in translation. • Teams feel abandoned, confused, or suffocated. • Leaders lose visibility—or drown in unnecessary control. • Projects stall—or worse, fail. This is what I call “Dead by Delegation.” Delegation should never be about “getting things off your plate.” Nor should it mean hovering over every move. It must be about putting the right things into the right hands—with the right support. 🔑 Healthy delegation requires: 1. Clarity – What exactly is expected? What does success look like? 2. Context – Why is this important? How does it connect to the bigger mission? 3. Capacity – Does this person have the time, skills, and resources? 4. Check-ins – Not micromanagement, but alignment points to ensure progress. 5. Credit – Recognition of those who carry the work forward. ✨ Leadership is not about doing everything yourself. But it’s also not about disappearing—or controlling every move—after delegating. 💡 True leadership lives in the balance—trusting your team while remaining present, intentional, and accountable. #Leadership #Delegation #Teamwork #Accountability #GrowthMindset #AcademicLeadership #DentalEducation

“I know I need to delegate more, but some things are too complex to hand off.” Sound familiar? This mindset keeps many founders stuck in the weeds instead of leading strategically. Let me share a practical framework I use with clients: The Delegation Staircase. It transforms overwhelming handoffs into manageable steps: Step 1: Let them shadow you • You do the task while they observe • Debrief afterward to share your thinking process • Build understanding through observation Step 2: They observe and explain • They watch you again • This time, they explain your rationale • They articulate why you made specific decisions, and you provide feedback Step 3: They do, you debrief • They perform the task • You review together • You provide feedback on what you might have done differently Step 4: They take ownership • They handle the task independently • Optional: You give final approval before delivery • Gradually remove the approval step based on competence The key? You don't have to jump straight to full delegation. Each step builds confidence - both yours and theirs. This approach has helped dozens of founders successfully delegate complex tasks, from board presentations to client strategies. What else has helped you delegate complex tasks? Or what other delegation challenges do you have? #StartupLeadership #Delegation #LeadershipDevelopment #ExecutiveCoaching

𝗟𝗲𝘁’𝘀 𝘁𝗮𝗹𝗸 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗱𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗴𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻—the one leadership skill that separates overwhelmed managers from inspiring leaders. 𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗲’𝘀 𝗮 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗺𝘆 𝗰𝗹𝗶𝗲𝗻𝘁 (𝗹𝗲𝘁’𝘀 𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗵𝗶𝗺 𝗠𝗶𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗲𝗹). Michael was a technical genius. His team relied on him for everything. 𝗕𝘂𝘁 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲’𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗯𝗹𝗲𝗺: • He worked late nights fixing others’ mistakes.    • He micromanaged because no one could match his standards.    • And worst of all, he was overwhelmed and stuck. Then, one day, Michael’s colleague—less technically skilled but a master delegator—got promoted. 𝗠𝗶𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗲𝗹 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱𝗻’𝘁 𝗯𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗲𝘃𝗲 𝗶𝘁. “How could they promote him over me?” he asked me in our coaching session. Why Experts Struggle to Delegate? 𝗠𝗶𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗲𝗹 𝗳𝗲𝗹𝗹 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝗮 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗽: • “If I want it done right, I have to do it myself.” • “Teaching others will take too much time.” • “No one else understands this as deeply as I do.” 𝗕𝘂𝘁 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲’𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆: Being a technical expert doesn’t make you a great leader—knowing how to empower others does. 𝟱 𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗽𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗠𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗗𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗴𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 • 𝗣𝗶𝗰𝗸 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗥𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗧𝗮𝘀𝗸𝘀: Focus on what only you can do. Delegate the rest.    • 𝗖𝗵𝗼𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗥𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗣𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻: Match tasks to team members’ strengths and growth areas.    • 𝗦𝗲𝘁 𝗖𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀: Explain the ‘what’ and the ‘why’—let them figure out the ‘how.’    • 𝗘𝗺𝗽𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿, 𝗗𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝗠𝗶𝗰𝗿𝗼𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲: Give autonomy but stay available for support.    • 𝗙𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄 𝗨𝗽 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆: Provide constructive feedback and celebrate progress. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗲: What If Quality Suffers? 𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗲’𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗮𝗰𝗵: • Treat mistakes as learning opportunities. • Use feedback to guide, not criticize. • Understand that delegation is an investment in your team’s growth. 𝗧𝗵𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵 𝗰𝗼𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴, Michael mastered delegation by: Rewiring Beliefs: He shifted from “I need to control everything” to “I’m growing leaders.” Building Trust: He learned how to trust his team and let them own their work. Strategic Leadership: He focused on vision, not execution. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗢𝘂𝘁𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲 Within six months, Michael’s team was thriving, his workload was lighter, and he finally got the promotion he had been chasing for years. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗟𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗼𝗻 • Delegation isn’t just about offloading tasks. • It’s about building a team that can thrive without you. • If you want to grow as a leader, you need to let go. 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗧𝘂𝗿𝗻 Struggling to delegate? Feeling overwhelmed? 𝗜𝘁’𝘀 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲 𝘁𝗼: • Identify what’s holding you back. • Build trust in your team. • Delegate with strategy and confidence. 𝗖𝗼𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗽 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘂𝗻𝗹𝗼𝗰𝗸 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝗽𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗮𝗹. 𝗣.𝗦. DM me for a free discovery call #peakimpactmentorship #leadership #growth