Stop Saying “We”

Let’s talk about one of the hardest things for leaders and managers to do well: delegation.

Whether you’re leading a team, managing a department, or running a company, delegation often feels like letting go of the vine. And that’s because—it is.

You’re handing over something you care about to someone else, hoping they’ll carry it with the same urgency and quality you would. But what happens when they don’t? What happens when nothing gets done?

That’s where most leaders get stuck.

But here’s the truth I’ve learned: delegation isn’t just about handing off tasks. It’s about communicating clearly enough that action actually happens.

Clear Delegation Requires Four Things:

1. The right information – What exactly needs to be done? Not kind of. Not generally. Exactly.
2. One responsible person – No “team assignments” without clarity. If everyone owns it, no one owns it.
3. A committed date and time – Not “soon.” Not “ASAP.” A real due date. A calendar invite. A follow-up reminder.
4. Follow-up – Delegation without follow-up is just a hope. You have to loop back.

Here’s Where It All Falls Apart: “We” Language

I once sat in on a client’s meeting where the CEO kept saying things like,

“We need to get this done.”

“We should probably work on this.”

“We need to be more proactive here.”

By the end of the meeting, everyone nodded. They were excited. They agreed. They were aligned.

Except they weren’t.

Because no one actually knew what they were responsible for. No one had an action item. No one had a deadline.

So nothing happened. And the CEO walked away thinking, “Why isn’t anyone taking action? I was so clear!”

But the truth is, clarity only exists when someone knows exactly what they are supposed to do, by when.

Stop Saying “We.” Start Saying Names and Dates.

As a leader, it’s your job to say:

“Leah, please put together a first draft of that proposal by Thursday at 3pm and send it to me for review.”

Not:

“We should get started on that proposal soon.”

Can you feel the difference? One creates accountability. The other creates confusion.

Delegating Isn’t Letting Go—It’s Leading With Clarity

If delegation scares you because you’re afraid things won’t get done, I hear you. But the solution isn’t to hold on tighter. The solution is to delegate better.

Be specific. Assign one person. Get a committed deadline. Follow up.

And for the love of clarity, stop saying “we” when you really mean “you.”

If this letter hit close to home—and you’re realizing you might have a “we” problem—I’d love to hear about it. What’s been hard for you to delegate? What’s holding you back? Hit reply and let’s talk.

Until next time,