The “No DoD” Virus (Lack of Standards)

The biggest black hole for a manager’s time is reworked work. It happens when a subordinate brings you an incomplete report, full of omissions and errors. You look at it, grit your teeth, and say: “This is garbage; it’s better if I just redo it from scratch than try to explain what’s wrong.” Or even worse, they don’t bring it to you when you actually need it, so you end up having to do it yourself just to meet the deadline.

Situation Analysis:

• “Almost Done” is not “Done”: Without a clear standard, “done” means different things to different people. For an employee, it means “I’ve finished writing”; for you, it means “it’s ready to be sent to the client.”
• The Benefactor’s Trap: By redoing their work, you teach them they can deliver mediocrity because “the boss will give it a final polish anyway.” You are essentially subsidizing their lack of rigor with your own life.

The Golden Rule: Definition of Done (DoD) A task is not truly delegated until you have clearly defined what success looks like. Don’t just delegate “a report”; delegate “a 3-page report, with X and Y charts included, saved as a PDF, and spell-checked.”

How to implement a Definition of Done (DoD) without writing manuals: You don’t need to be bureaucratic; you need to be specific. A DoD is not a job description; it is a list of reception conditions. Before you delegate, ask yourself: “What exactly do I need to see on my desk so I don’t have to send this person back to their office?”

Example of a DoD list (universally applicable):

• Integrity: Does the task contain all requested elements (Appendices, tables, signatures)?
• Format: Is it in a format that allows for immediate use (PDF for the client, Excel for analysis)?
• Validation: Was it verified by a second person or through a cross-check?
• Deadline: Was it delivered at least 1 hour before the final deadline to allow for a quick review?

If a single point is missing, it is not Done. It is merely work in progress.

The Efficiency Math: Redoing a task you’ve already delegated costs you double. You pay once for the employee’s time (who worked for nothing) and a second time for your own time (which is much more expensive). If you redo just 2 reports a week, you lose the equivalent of 2 months of strategic work per year. Essentially, you are working 14 months a year but only getting paid for 12.

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