In this guide
Observe where decisions stop
Take recent episodes: a priority awaiting approval, a proposal reopened after release or a team asking for confirmation on choices already discussed. Reconstruct the blocked step before concluding that you need another person.
Waiting may reflect unclear authority, information concentrated with the founder, conflicting goals or missing skills. Transferring responsibility before understanding the constraint may move the problem to someone else.
Delegate a class of decisions
‘Take care of product’ leaves too much open to interpretation. A useful mandate describes a recognisable set of choices: priorities within an agreed goal, experiments on a user flow or coordination of part of the roadmap.
The example does not establish a boundary for every startup. Scope depends on the person’s experience, team capacity and the consequences of a poor decision.
- Which decisions can the person make independently?
- What goal, budget or capacity constraints must they respect?
- Who should be consulted and who needs to be informed?
- Which conditions require returning to the founder?
- How will you discuss outcomes, assumptions and changes in context?
Transfer the context too
The decision-maker needs access to customers, data, commercial constraints and the reasons behind earlier choices. Responsibility without this information can still depend on the founder at every step.
Make available time explicit too. Someone leading part of the product needs to follow the consequences of their choices. Adapt the mandate to the agreed presence and the resources that can execute.
Agree how to review the work
Reviews can focus on observed outcomes, decisions made, assumptions contradicted and new constraints. Escalation thresholds help raise issues outside the mandate. The founder retains reserved decisions and discussion of company direction.
If every choice still needs detailed approval, delegation remains incomplete. Without any review, it becomes difficult to notice a change in context. Define oversight proportionate to the consequences and reversibility of decisions.
Choose one area and review the handover
Select a class of decisions that currently absorbs your time and has someone able to take responsibility. Write down the mandate, access, boundaries and review point. Observe new dependencies and adjust the scope with the team.
When operational leadership is missing, a Fractional Head of Product can take an agreed mandate. If you want to keep leading and work through how to delegate, advisory can support that discussion. Start with the actual work and responsibilities.