Clearer delegation, smoother incidents

Incident commanders often assume responders operate at a certain level of autonomy, but without explicit guidance the expectations diverge. The article breaks down a ten-level delegation framework and shows why levels 5 and 6 are the sweet spot for incident response: responders investigate, propose actions, and report back before execution, keeping coordination tight while still empowering analysis.

When a commander unintentionally delegates at level 3 or 8, responders may either wait for joint decisions or act independently, leading to confusion, duplicated effort, or missed deadlines. The piece advises stating the exact delegation level, the timeframe for updates, and the precision required for answers. A simple phrase like "provide a rough estimate within 20 minutes; don't change anything without coordinating with me" eliminates ambiguity.

Beyond delegation, the article highlights the cost of incidents-lost revenue, damaged reputation, and morale decline-and frames clear delegation as a proactive risk mitigation tool. By making the expectations explicit, teams reduce wasted communication cycles, keep focus on critical actions, and maintain morale through predictable decision pathways.

The author, an incident management consultant, positions themselves as a coach who can help organizations embed these practices, offering direct assistance to improve incident handling and team alignment.