Practical example
New-manager delegation and action plan
A worked, fictional example of delegating a recurring task without losing accountability, followed by a 30/60/90-day action plan template for new managers.
Illustrative example. The team, the report and the people are fictional and were written by LSBUK for practice. This is not a real case or a measured outcome.
Part 1: delegating a recurring task
A newly promoted team leader has been writing the weekly service report herself. It takes two hours she no longer has, and it is a good development task for a team member. She delegates it like this:
| Element | Example |
|---|---|
| Desired result | Weekly service report to the operations manager by 10am Monday, figures checked against the ticket system |
| Responsibility | Priya prepares and checks the report |
| Decision boundaries | Priya decides layout and commentary; changes to the measures are agreed first; the team leader signs off before sending |
| Resources | Ticket-system access, last quarter's reports, one hour each Friday |
| Check-ins | Fridays at 3pm for four weeks, then monthly |
| Escalation trigger | Any figure moving more than 20% in a week, or missing data |
Why the sign-off matters. Delegation passes on the work, not the accountability. The team leader remains answerable for the report, so she keeps the final check until Priya's reports have been consistently accurate, then agrees when to stop.
Feedback after week 1. "The figures are all correct. The commentary is longer than the operations manager needs: can you cut it to three bullets on what changed and why?" One specific change is easier to act on than a rewrite.
Part 2: a 30/60/90-day action plan
| Period | Focus | Example action | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Days 1 to 30 | Learn | One-to-one with every team member; list recurring tasks and who does them | Notes from every conversation |
| Days 31 to 60 | Delegate and set expectations | Delegate two recurring tasks using the table above; agree team goals | Tasks running with check-ins in place |
| Days 61 to 90 | Improve | Review the delegated tasks; adjust boundaries; set your own behaviour goal for the next quarter | Fewer escalations; your behaviour goal agreed with your manager |
Write your own plan with real names and dates, and review it with your manager at day 30.
Field guide
| Field | What to record |
|---|---|
| Desired result | What good looks like when the task is done, including quality and deadline. |
| Assigned responsibility | Who now owns the task and what exactly they are responsible for. |
| Decision boundaries | What they can decide alone, what needs a conversation first, and what stays with you. |
| Resources | Data, tools, budget, time and people available to them. |
| Check-in date | When you will review progress together, agreed in advance. |
| Escalation trigger | The specific situation in which they should come to you straight away. |
| Feedback | What went well and what to change, given after each cycle. |
| Behaviour goal | One management behaviour you are working on yourself. |
| Evidence of progress | What you or others will be able to see when you have improved. |
Download
- Blank template (CSV, opens in Excel or Google Sheets)
- Completed illustrative example (CSV)
- Template with field guidance (Markdown text)
Everything here is illustrative practice material created by LSBUK. It is not real client, learner or cohort data.
Leadership and management
The full guide: who leadership training suits, workload, fees and the articles to read next.
Open the guide →Related articleYour First 90 Days as a New Manager: A Practical Plan
A practical plan for your first 90 days as a manager.
Read the article →CourseMastering Leadership and Management
Practise delegation, feedback and action planning on your own team's situations.
View the course →