Let It Be Theirs

Cristina Stensvaag
Jul 14
3 min read

Different isn't wrong. Slower isn't failing.

July 14, 2026

Originally published in One More Rep, a weekly newsletter for people managers who want to get better through practice. Subscribe here — it's free.

Week 28. Rep 28. Last week you handed something off. This week we'll find out how much you meant it.

Read

The Moment

Last week, you chose a responsibility from your list, used the three-part handoff (what the work is, what done looks like, and what decisions they can make without you), and delegated.

Maybe your direct did it differently than you would have. Or they came back with a question you thought you'd already answered. Or the outcome was fine, but you're sure you could have done it better.

And maybe you started to wonder if you should step back in.

The Pattern

This is where delegation can break down. The risk isn't in the handoff conversation, but in the weeks after. You see something you didn't expect, and interpret it as a signal to take back the work.

Taking the work back might show up as a suggestion here, a correction there, or a check-in that wasn't in the original plan. The message you're sending to your direct report is that you don't actually trust them with it.

Why This Matters

Whether you're assigning a task or delegating a responsibility, breakdown happens when you don't transfer ownership. If you gave someone a project last week and stayed in every decision, you assigned a helper, not an owner.

Delegation goes further. It's not a one-time handoff, it's an ongoing responsibility that lives with them. That's what this week is really testing.

Each time you step back in without being asked, you're making a decision about whose work this actually is. Remember that different isn't wrong, and slower isn't failing. Both are part of learning.

Rep

This Week's Practice

Whatever you delegated last week, let it be theirs. If something comes back that needs your input, give it, but keep the work with the owner.

Your Rep

Identify one moment this week where you feel the pull to step back in. Write down what triggered it and what you did instead.

What to Notice

Success looks like:

You felt the pull and didn't act on it
When they came to you with a question, you answered it, but kept the work with your direct

Resistance looks like:

Telling yourself that multiple check-ins aren't the same as taking the work back
Reframing your involvement as coaching when it's actually controlling

It's working when:

They do something differently than you would have and the work still moves forward

Common Mistakes

Mistake #1: Correcting the output instead of the outcome. Save correction for when the outcome misses, not when the method differs from yours.

Mistake #2: Answering every question they bring back. Some questions are genuine. Some are likely habit because they're used to checking in with you. Before you answer, ask: is this within the authority I gave them? If yes, reflect it back: "What do you think?"

Reflect

Where did you feel the pull to step back in, and what does that tell you about what you're still holding onto?
What would it mean for your team if staying out became your default instead of an effort?

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Cristina Stensvaag is co-founder of LeaderReps and creator of One More Rep, a weekly practice-based leadership newsletter for people managers.