If you’re still doing everything yourself, you’re not leading—you’re just surviving.
Delegation isn’t a skill founders can afford to “figure out later.” It’s how you buy back time, scale your business, and build a team that doesn’t just wait for instructions.
But here’s the catch: most founders delegate too late, or too fast. They either hold on until burnout, or throw tasks at people without clarity—and then wonder why it backfires.
That’s where the delegation ladder comes in.
The 5 Rungs of the Delegation Ladder
1. Do It Yourself (Founder’s Work)
This is the starting point. You’re building the process. You’re figuring it out. But you’re also evaluating: Is this something I should always own?
Use this time to document and standardize anything you’ll want to hand off later.
2. Document It
Once you’ve done a task 3–5 times and know the pattern, record it.
- Write a checklist
- Film a Loom video
- Drop steps in Notion
Good delegation starts with clear systems, not vague handoffs.
3. Delegate with Guardrails
Start small. Delegate one task inside the process. Be clear about:
- What “done” looks like
- Deadlines
- Where to escalate questions
This is where trust gets built. Don’t ghost. Don’t micromanage.
4. Delegate Ownership, Not Just Tasks
Now they’re running the process end-to-end. They own the outcome.
Your job? Set expectations, check in on KPIs, and provide feedback—not step-by-step instructions.
This is the sweet spot where leverage begins to compound.
5. Elevate the Role
They’re improving the system, training others, and spotting inefficiencies before you do.
They’re no longer just executing—they’re optimizing.
At this stage, you’re no longer managing tasks. You’re managing leaders.
What to Delegate First
Not sure where to start? Start here:
- Low-leverage admin: calendar management, inbox triage, document formatting
- Repeatable delivery: onboarding steps, report generation, content formatting
- Time sucks you hate: anything you procrastinate or resent doing
Your job is to do the work only you can do. Everything else? Someone else can handle it—with the right ladder in place.
What to Do This Week
- List 5 recurring tasks you did this week that drained you
- Choose one and record a simple SOP or Loom walkthrough
- Delegate just the first step of that task to someone on your team
- Schedule a 15-minute review with them to tighten it
- Track your weekly “delegation score”: How much time did you buy back?
Related Articles
- How to Build a Consistent Lead Generation System for Your B2B Startup
- 12 Lead Generation Strategies for B2B Success
- The B2B LinkedIn Outreach System That Converts (2025 Edition)
Stay focused. Stay productive. Keep building.
—Bill
