The Ghost of Delegation
Asking “everyone to help” means that no one owns it.
Robert walked into the large conference room. Fourteen of the sixteen chairs were filled. At the head of the table was the boss – Susan. She was ready to solve a problem that had been plaguing the department for months: data integrity.
“Our spreadsheets are full of typos,” Susan began. “It’s inefficient and frustrating. We’ve invested in new software to replace them, and I’m counting on everyone to help make this transition happen.”
She looked around the room. No one argued. No one threw up a hand in protest.
As they left, Robert caught the eye of a coworker and shrugged. A silent message passed between them: “Something new. Again. In a year, we’ll still be using the same spreadsheets.”
The result was predictable. Four months later, the spreadsheets were still there. The data errors were still there. And the new software sat untouched, like a brand-new car that nobody drives.
Frustrated, Susan pulled Robert aside. “Why is no one loading the data?” she asked. “I thought we were all on board.”
Robert’s answer was quiet and honest: “Susan, no one asked us to.”
The TRM Lessons
If you’re a Lead: Alignment is passive. You can have a team that agrees with your goal (Alignment) but has no idea they are supposed to actively move toward it with accountability. Implicit delegation is just wishful thinking. To move the needle, you must transition from “global asks” in a meeting to specific 1:1 discussions where a subordinate’s responsibility is explicitly defined and accepted.
If you’re a Contributor: Robert’s shrug is a warning sign that something is missing—lost in the fog. Although it may seem easier to ignore the fog so you can concentrate on more tangible things, that’s a short-sighted approach. It may come back to haunt you later as a weak excuse for failing to do… something. The smarter step is to recognize the shrug as a signal. In TRM, it’s usually a breakdown in Accountability. Robert’s better response? Ask for specifics: “Susan, are you asking us to do anything?” That’s not looking for more work; it’s about clarifying expectations and managing your time. You need clarity to deliver your best work. So it’s best to clear the fog, even if your boss doesn’t see it.
