A Simple Delegation Framework for Business Owners Who Want to Stop Making Every Decision

You might already be handing over tasks to your VA. But if you’re still approving every decision they make, you haven’t really freed yourself up at all. You’re still the bottleneck. Task delegation is great, but real efficiency comes from decision delegation - giving your team the ability to make the right calls without needing you to sign off on every little thing.

Think about it. If your VA is scheduling social media posts but still asks you to approve each one, are you actually saving time? If your customer service rep is handling emails but needs your input on every refund, have you really taken a step back? Nope. You’re still there, and they're still relying on you to make the decisions.

If you don’t set decision making guidelines, you’re not delegating - you’re abdicating. And that’s when things either bounce back to you or get completely messed up.

This article will show you exactly how to hand over decision making properly so you’re not stuck in approval mode forever.

What You Need Before Delegating Decisions

If you’ve read my Levels of Delegation guide (if not, go read it!), you already know that delegation isn’t all or nothing. It’s a sliding scale. Some decisions should still go through you, while others can (and should) be fully handed over. But how do you make that work without things going pear shaped? Simple. You use a delegation framework to hand over decisions to your team.

Before you start handing over decisions, ask yourself:

• What types of decisions do I actually need to delegate?
• What rules or boundaries should my team follow?
• How can I make the decision-making process foolproof?

This is where guardrails and ITTT (If This, Then That) rules come in. They stop your team from second guessing themselves and keep things moving without you needing to approve every little thing.

Use the OKP Delegation Framework to Set Up Decision Making Authority

Before delegating anything - whether it’s a simple task or a high-level decision - you need to make sure your VA or team member has all the information they need to succeed. That’s where the OKP Framework comes in.

OKP stands for:

• Outcome – What success looks like
• Knowledge – The information, tools, and SOPs they need to do the job
• Power – The level of decision making authority they have

If you’ve ever delegated something and had it bounce back to you with questions, chances are you skipped a step in OKP.

How to Apply OKP When Delegating Decisions

Say you’re delegating handling supplier invoices. Here’s how you could structure your OKP to make sure your VA knows exactly what to do:

• Outcome: “Invoices should be processed within 24 hours, coded to the correct budget category, and logged in Xero.”
• Knowledge: Make sure you have a step by step SOP to give them, access to Xero, and a list of budget codes.
• Power: “You can approve invoices under $500. If it’s over that, flag it for my review.”

Now, instead of asking you about every invoice, your VA has clear instructions, the right tools, and knows exactly when they can make a decision and when they need to check in with you.

The OKP framework is not optional - this is how you need to frame your instructions in your task manager (ClickUp, Trello, Asana) every time you delegate a decision making task. That way, your team always knows exactly what's expected, how to do it, and a clear understanding of their authority level, cutting down on the constant back and forth.

How to Delegate Decision Making (Step by Step)

1. Set Guardrails So Your Team Knows What’s In (And Out) of Bounds

The fastest way to make your team feel confident making decisions is to set clear boundaries so they know exactly where they have full control and where they need to check in. If you’ve ever had a team member hesitate on something super basic just because they “weren’t sure,” this is why.

Example: Guardrails for a customer service rep handling refunds

• If the refund is under $100, approve it immediately.
• If the refund is over $100, check with me first.
• If the product is damaged, send a replacement - no need to escalate.
• If it’s a custom product, no refunds allowed - explain to the customer why.

That’s it. No need for them to Slack you 20 times a day with “Just a quick question…” messages.

2. Use ITTT (If This, Then That) to Make Decisions Automatic

ITTT rules take the guesswork out of decision making. Instead of waiting for approval, your team follows a structured rule, so they always know what to do.

Example: Refund ITTT Rule

• If the refund request is under $100, approve it immediately.
• If the request is between $100-$300, escalate it to me.
• If the product is faulty, offer a replacement before refunding.

Example: ITTT for supplier approvals

• If the supplier’s quote is within 10% of the budget, approve it.
• If the quote exceeds the budget by more than 10%, get my approval.

No more back and forth. No more “What should I do about this?” messages. ITTT keeps everything running smoothly.

3. What ITTT (If This, Then That) Is And What It Isn't

Most people think they’re using an "If This, Then That" (ITTT) framework when really, they’re just writing SOPs. The difference is subtle but important.

An SOP tells someone how to do a task, but it still requires them to decide when to do it or check with you first. ITTT takes those decisions off their plate by setting up clear triggers that dictate what happens next—no back-and-forth, no bottlenecks, no waiting for approval.

How ITTT Works (and How It Doesn't)

ITTT means your team already knows what to do in common situations. They don’t have to ask. They don’t have to guess. The trigger (If This) leads to an automatic action (Then That), keeping everything moving without you needing to step in.

Not every structured delegation rule is ITTT. Here’s how to tell the difference:

ITTT Example:

If a customer asks for a refund on an order older than 30 days,

Then [VA Name] will decline it and offer store credit instead.

Why this works: The decision is made in advance. No need for your input.

Not ITTT:

“If a customer asks for a refund, the VA should check the policy and ask me what to do.”

Why not? They still have to come to you for approval. That’s just delegation, not ITTT.

ITTT Example:

If a client hasn’t replied to a proposal in 5 days,

Then [VA Name] will send a follow-up email using a pre-approved template.

Why this works: No waiting, no wondering. The follow-up happens automatically.

Not ITTT:

“If a client hasn’t replied, check in with me about whether we should follow up.”

Why not? They’re still coming to you for a decision instead of just doing it.

ITTT Example:

If an Instagram post gets over 50 saves in 24 hours,

Then [VA Name] will turn it into a carousel post or an email newsletter.

Why this works: The rule is clear—hit 50 saves, repurpose the content.

Not ITTT:

“If an Instagram post does well, consider turning it into more content.”

Why not? What does “does well” even mean? This isn’t a decision, it’s just a suggestion.

The Key Difference

If your team still has to ask you what to do - it’s not ITTT.

If your team can act immediately without checking in - it is.

ITTT is all about removing decisions from you, and making sure your team knows how you want those decisions made. Pretty soon, your team knows exactly what to do, when to do it, and how to move forward without getting stuck waiting for you.

The more you use ITTT, the less your team depends on you for routine stuff. And then you can gradually increase the level of authority, and reduce the level of reliance on you. 

4. Monitor Progress Without Micromanaging

Daily and weekly check-ins aren’t optional. If you’re not tracking what’s happening, you’re not delegating - you’re just dumping and disappearing.

Here’s what’s I recommend:

• Daily check-ins: Every team member provides a quick update at the end of their day - what they worked on, what issues they faced, and what they’re working on tomorrow.
• Weekly team meetings: Everyone reviews progress, discusses KPI tracking, and flags any ongoing issues.

All delegated tasks - including decision making tasks - should be tracked in your task manager (ClickUp, Trello, Asana). If it’s not in your task manager, it's going to get lost and forgotten, guaranteed.

Examples of Delegated Decisions in Action

• Refunds: “If a refund is under $100, approve. If it’s higher, check with me.”
• Vendor Approvals: “If the total cost is within the budget, proceed. If not, ask me for approval.”
• Customer Complaints: “If the issue can be resolved with a coupon under $20, offer it. Otherwise, escalate.”
• Office Supplies: “If the purchases are within budget, buy it. If it’s over budget, check with me first and explain exactly why we need it and what the alternatives are.”

No more uncertainty. If your team knows exactly when to check in and when they have full authority, decision making runs smoothly.

Final Thoughts

Delegating decisions isn’t about losing control - it’s about putting the right rules in place so that your team can take things off your plate without things bouncing back to you.

Here’s how to make sure it actually works:

• Use guardrails so your team knows what’s in (and out) of bounds.
• Apply ITTT rules so decisions become automatic.
• Start with small decisions and increase authority over time.
• Check in regularly without micromanaging.

Freebie and Next Steps

Want to take action? Grab the FREE No Stress Delegation Checklist - designed to help you master the first step towards building a business that doesn’t rely on you for every little thing.