Clearer Delegation, Smoother Incidents

Delegation is a critical skill for incident commanders. Have you ever considered how tasks are delegated during an incident, though, and what impact that can have on the incident? Do the incident commander and the responders share a common understanding of exactly what is being delegated, how much freedom to act the responders have, and how much responsibility the responders are expected to take?

Someone recently shared a neat one-pager on Levels of Delegation with me, which summarizes 10 different levels of delegation, ranging from 1 to 10 in terms of the amount of freedom and responsibility being delegated. For incident management, key levels include:

• Level 1: “Wait to be told,” “Do exactly what I say,” or “Follow instructions precisely.”
• Level 3: “Look into this and tell me the situation. We’ll decide together.”
• Level 5: “Give me your analysis and recommendation. I’ll decide if/when to proceed.”
• Level 6: “Decide and let me know your decision, and wait for my go-ahead.”
• Level 7: “Decide and let me know your decision, then go ahead unless I say not to.”
• Level 8: “Decide and take action; let me know what you did.”
• Level 10: “Decide where action needs to be taken and manage the situation accordingly. It’s your responsibility now.”

Incident commanders typically aim for Level 5 or 6, expecting responders to investigate, determine actions, and then report back before implementation to ensure coordination. The problem is that responders might be operating under different assumptions (e.g., Level 3 for joint decision-making, or Level 8 for independent action).

To avoid mismatched expectations, be explicit when delegating. Clearly state the expected level of autonomy, for example, “look, but don’t change anything without coordinating with me first.”

Also, be explicit about the expected timeframe. Establish clear timelines, even if it’s just for an update like “we’re still working on it; we expect to have more info in 20 minutes.”

Finally, be clear about the required level of accuracy or certainty. A rough estimate might take just minutes, whereas determining a precise figure could take hours. If “between 5,000 and 10,000” is a good enough answer for now, say so.

Responders also share responsibility for clear communication. If you’re uncertain about the delegation level, timeframe, or desired accuracy, ask for clarification.

Effective incident management depends on clear delegation and open communication between incident commanders and responders.

Incidents are costly, impacting both customer relationships (leading to lost revenue, missed sales, and reputational damage) and staff (through decreased productivity, reduced morale, and increased turnover). It is essential to be proactive by both preparing for future incidents and thoroughly learn from each one that occurs. As an expert incident management consultant, advisor, and coach, I help companies develop these vital capabilities. Contact me today to discover how I can help your team.