Definition
Delegation is the deliberate transfer of both the responsibility for a task and the authority required to do it. The transfer of responsibility without authority is dumping; the transfer of authority without responsibility is abdication. Real delegation transfers both, then steps back far enough for the delegatee to own the work.
Carnegie's contribution is to treat delegation as a leadership behaviour, not a workload-distribution mechanic. The point is not to get tasks off your list; the point is to develop the person doing the task and to free the leader for work only the leader can do.
Why it matters
How it works
A well-structured delegation has five parts. Outcome — what does success look like, in observable terms? Constraints — what are the non-negotiables (time, budget, quality bar)? Authority — what decisions can the delegatee make without checking in, and which require escalation? Resources — what do they have access to (people, budget, time of yours)? Check-in cadence — when and how will progress be reviewed, without micromanaging the means?
The under-discussed move is the handback — when you delegate, name a date by which the work belongs entirely to the delegatee, and stop pulling it back. The relationship is healthier when both parties know which work is whose.