When delegation bounces back to you
Ever find yourself saying, "Didn't I already delegate that?"
You brief someone to take over. They nod, say they've got it…
…and a few days later, it's back on your desk. Again.
Welcome to the delegation bounce-back.
Whether it's a task that gets half-done, a decision kicked back for approval, or someone waiting for your next move, it all ends in the same place: your inbox, your calendar, your mental load.
The job didn't stay handed over - and that's a clue that something's broken underneath.
Why This Matters to You
If you're still the one plugging gaps, fixing handovers, or making every final decision, you're not really delegating - you're just renting out tasks.
That's a recipe for stress, stagnation, and a business that still revolves around you.
Delegation is one of the most powerful tools for freeing up your time and building a business that runs without you - but only if it sticks.
And when it doesn't? It usually leads to you thinking:
"It's easier if I just do it myself."
That's how business owners stay trapped. Not because their team can't handle more, but because the handover system is flawed.
Why Most People Get This Wrong
Here's what usually goes wrong:
You delegate a task, not the outcome.
You give instructions, not context.
You brief something in a rush, then expect it to come back perfect.
Or worse - you delegate a task, then stay so involved that the person you handed it to doesn't know if they really own it.
So they hand it back the moment things get tricky.
That's not failure. That's a system problem.
The Real Problem: Poor Briefs Create Confusion
Most "briefs" are verbal, rushed, or vague. "Can you take care of that?" isn't a brief - it's a wish.
A solid handover covers:
The task itself
The desired outcome
The deadline
Any constraints or boundaries
What "done" actually looks like
Without these elements, you're not setting someone up for success. You're setting them up to come back to you for clarification.
I learned this the hard way in my software business. I'd ask someone to "handle the client issue" without explaining what resolution looked like. Days later, they'd be back asking what to do next, and I'd be frustrated that they hadn't "just sorted it."
The problem wasn't their capability - it was my brief.
Ownership vs. Instructions: The Key Difference
There's a world of difference between giving someone instructions and giving them ownership.
Instructions sound like: "Call the client, then send them the report, then follow up."
Ownership sounds like: "The client needs to feel confident about moving forward. Here's the context, here are the constraints, here's what success looks like. How would you approach it?"
When you give ownership, people think. When you give instructions, they follow blindly - until they hit something unexpected, then they bounce it back to you.
Why Checklists Beat Conversations
A verbal brief disappears the moment the conversation ends. A checklist stays visible, can be referenced, and doesn't rely on memory.
Good delegation includes tools that help someone succeed:
Process checklists for complex tasks
Decision frameworks for judgment calls
Examples of what good looks like
Clear escalation triggers
In my business, we moved from verbal handoffs to written briefs with checklists. Bounce-backs dropped by a magnitude within a month. Not because people suddenly got better - because the system got clearer.
The Power of Safe Failure
Fear of things going wrong is a delegation killer. If you take back every task the moment something might go wrong, your team learns to hand things back early rather than risk making a mistake.
Instead, build safety nets that let people learn:
Clear boundaries of what they can and can't do
Regular check-ins, not constant oversight
A culture where mistakes lead to learning, not blame
When my team knew they could try things and adjust based on results, they stopped bouncing decisions back to me. They started taking ownership.
Post-Handoff Reviews: Where Growth Happens
Every proper delegation should include a follow-up: what worked, what didn't, and what to improve next time.
This isn't micromanaging - it's system improvement. These reviews help you:
Spot gaps in your briefing process
Identify what support people need
Document successful approaches for next time
Build confidence through recognition
Miss this step, and the same problems keep looping back to you.
Context Creates Alignment
When people understand why something matters and what success looks like, they make better choices - even if their route looks different from yours.
Instead of: "Update the client spreadsheet."
Try: "We need the client data accurate for next week's review meeting. The goal is showing them we're on top of their account details. Here's what good looks like..."
Context turns task-followers into problem-solvers.
7 Takeaways for Delegation That Sticks
Ready to stop the bounce-back cycle?
1. Brief in writing: Include the task, outcome, deadline, constraints, and definition of done.
2. Ask for playback: Have them explain the brief back to you in their own words.
3. Provide tools: Checklists, examples, frameworks - anything that makes success more likely.
4. Define boundaries: What they can decide vs. what needs escalation.
5. Schedule reviews: Plan follow-ups to improve the system, not rescue the task.
6. Back off but check in: Give space to work, but stay available for genuine questions.
7. Document what works: Turn successful delegations into repeatable systems.
Most importantly, remember that delegation is a skill - for both you and your team. It takes practice, patience, and the willingness to improve the system when things bounce back.
That's all for this week! Take a look at one task that keeps bouncing back to you and ask: what's missing from the handover system that would help it stick?
Because delegation that sticks isn't just about freeing up your time - it's about building a team that can truly take ownership.