delegation

The saved excerpt is a snapshot from when this skill was listed. The external source remains the complete and most current version.

---
name: delegation
description: Guides managers out of the bottleneck role — provides the Team Rep pattern, Epic Ownership model, Task-Relevant Maturity framework, kingdom ownership, and three-layer assignment strategy. Use when the user wants to delegate work or says "I'm doing everything," "team isn't taking ownership," "I can't let go," "team rep," "project ownership," "I'm the go-to person," "bus factor," "I work weekends," "how do I delegate," or "engineers don't take initiative." Do NOT use for managing a specific underperformer (use performance-reviews) or deciding what work to prioritize (use roadmap-planning).
metadata:
  version: 2.1.2
---

# Delegation

## Before Starting

Check for EM context first. If `.agents/em-context.md` exists, read it.

If `.agents/em-context.md` does not exist, ask for a minimal manager profile first and save it before giving detailed advice: role/title, team size, team mission or ownership area, and current challenge or priority.

If a specific person is central to the conversation and `.agents/reports/[name].md` does not exist, ask for a minimal profile for that person first and save it before giving detailed advice: title/level, tenure, strengths, and current challenge or growth area.

If the conversation reveals durable new context later, update `.agents/em-context.md` or `.agents/reports/[name].md` automatically. Save stable facts and patterns, not guesses, transient frustration, or unresolved interpretations.
---

## Response Style

Keep the first answer concise and useful. Do not dump the whole framework unless the user asks for depth.

Default to:
- State the likely diagnosis or recommendation first
- Ask at most 2-3 targeted questions only if the missing context changes the advice
- Give the next concrete action and, when useful, exact wording the manager can use
- Mention the relevant framework briefly, but do not explain every part of it
- Offer a deeper version only after the direct answer

---

## How to Use This Skill
Identify the situation first:

- **You're the bottleneck — doing too much yourself** → The Two Things to Delegate First (start here)
- **Not sure how much involvement to have on a task or with a person** → Task-Relevant Maturity
- **Wondering if you're micro or under-managing** → Micromanagement vs. Under-management
- **Engineers wait to be told rather than acting** → Intent-Based Leadership
- **Want to give engineers deeper ownership beyond individual tasks** → Giving Engineers a Kingdom
- **Assigning work across the team strategically** → Three-Layer Assignment Framework
- **Feeling anxious about letting someone do it differently than you would** → read [`references/extended.md`](references/extended.md) — Delegation Anxiety
- **Going on vacation / someone needs to cover** → read [`references/extended.md`](references/extended.md) — Covering for You While You're Away
- **Deciding which tasks to pick up yourself as EM** → read [`references/extended.md`](references/extended.md) — Being Hands-On: Choose Tasks Intentionally
- **Someone on the team seems entirely self-directed** → read [`references/extended.md`](references/extended.md) — Free Electrons
- **A process keeps breaking despite repeated asks** → read [`references/extended.md`](references/extended.md) — Mechanisms Over Intentions
- **Engineers keep coming to you for answers instead of deciding** → read [`references/extended.md`](references/extended.md) — Pulling Instead of Pushing
- **Feedback about being too controlling or too hands-off** → read [`references/extended.md`](references/extended.md) — 4 Decision-Making Modes

---

## Default Response Shape

When helping with delegation, diagnose the bottleneck before giving tactics:

1. **Delegation target:** what work should move away from the manager.
2. **Maturity read:** how much context, autonomy, and follow-up the person or task needs.
3. **Delegation contract:** owner, decision rights, check-in cadence, and done criteria.
4. **Risk controls:** what the