What Does “Done” Look Like? How to Delegate Clearly (Without Micromanaging)

TL;DR

Delegation breaks down when expectations live only in your head.

By asking “What does done look like?” and using Brené Brown’s 5 C’s—Color, Context, Connective-tissue, Cost, and Consequences—you give your team clarity, reduce frustration, and save time and money.

Clear delegation isn’t micromanagement—it’s leadership.

Delegating… It’s a B*tch

No surprise here—I’m Type A and like things done a certain way.

But when you’re building a company, you’re moving fast. And when you’re moving fast, you forget one very important thing:

Your team cannot read your mind.

After a few not-so-subtle hints from mine, I tuned into Brené Brown on the Goop podcast while walking my firstborn, Buxley (60 lbs of pure bulldog energy).

And yes—before we continue—I love Brené Brown.

The Teddy Roosevelt “daring greatly” quote? Instant tears.

She’s smart, a little spicy, calls bullshit when needed, and openly talks about the same messy emotions we all deal with.

But the thing that stuck with me most?

How she delegates.

The Question That Changes Everything

When Brené assigns something to her team, she expects them to ask:

“What does done look like?”

That one question?

It can save your team:

• hours of back-and-forth

• unnecessary frustration

• rework

• money

Because most delegation problems aren’t about effort.

They’re about unclear expectations.

Brené Brown’s 5 C’s of Delegation

To fully define what “done” looks like, Brené uses the 5 C’s:

Color

What does the final output actually look like?

Is this:

• an email?

• a landing page?

• copy only or copy + design?

Be specific.

Context

Why are we doing this?

How does it connect to:

• business goals

• strategy

• revenue

• client experience

People execute better when they understand why it matters.

Connective-Tissue

What does this impact?

• When is it due?

• What depends on it?

• What should it match or align with?

This is where most things fall apart.

Cost

What’s the budget?

Time, money, or both.

Set expectations upfront so your team doesn’t guess.

Consequences

What happens if this doesn’t get done?

Not to scare people—but to create clarity.

Because everything in a business has a ripple effect.

What This Looks Like in Real Life

Let’s make this practical.

Prowess Project is prepping for an event. We need a printed card.

Here’s how that conversation actually goes:

Me: Leah, can we make a card for the event?

Leah: Yep. What does done look like?

Me: 5×7 card with a Prowess summary and upcoming events.

Leah: Color?

Me:
Front: Logo, 100-word description, URL
Back: Event list (title, date, time, location, URL)

Leah: Context?

Me:
This event is full of our target audience. We want to keep the conversation going and drive attendance to future events.

Leah: Connective-tissue?

Me:
Due tomorrow (yes, chaos). Needs to hit the printer by 5pm.

Leah: Cost?

Me:
Around $50. If it’s more, let’s revisit.

Leah: Consequences?

Me:
We’re investing heavily in these events. If we don’t promote the next ones well, we lose momentum and attendance.

Now?

We’re aligned.

No guessing. No backtracking. No frustration.

Why This Works So Well

Because it removes assumptions.

Most delegation fails because:

• you think you explained it

• your team thinks they understood it

• and both of you are wrong

The 5 C’s fix that.

They:

• create clarity

• improve execution

• reduce rework

• build trust

Final Thought

Delegation isn’t about handing things off.

It’s about setting your team up to win.

So next time you assign something, pause and ask:

“What does done look like?”

It might be the simplest—and most effective—leadership move you make.

Try It

Use Brené’s 5 C’s this week with your team.

Then watch what happens.