Phases, owners, and acceptance gates
| Phase | Owner | Work | Acceptance evidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Before the start | Owner | Define role outcomes, decision limits, direct reports, and access. Identify critical customer commitments. | The manager knows what they own and what remains with the owner. |
| Days 1–30: understand | Manager with team leads | Observe real workflows, baseline current commitments, and record recurring exceptions. | A short constraint list is supported by records and operator input. |
| Days 31–60: pilot | Manager and process owner | Improve one bounded workflow, establish a small scorecard, and run an exception review. | The pilot has evidence, an acceptance decision, and a maintenance owner. |
| Days 61–90: transfer | Owner and manager | Test delegated decisions and backup coverage; revise unclear authority. | Routine decisions remain with the manager within agreed limits. |
Before the first working session
Name a sponsor who can resolve competing priorities and a manager who will maintain the result. Gather a recent normal case, an exception, and the current instructions. Reserve time for the people doing the work; a plan cannot be validated entirely through leadership discussion.
Worked example
Illustrative example: an owner hires a manager to improve delivery but still approves every scheduling change. The first review identifies this authority gap. The owner and manager agree on scheduling boundaries and examine exceptions after decisions instead of approving every normal change.
When to pause or revise the plan
If the manager lacks necessary authority, access, or qualified support, resolve those constraints before holding them accountable for outcomes they cannot influence. Avoid replacing all inherited systems during the first weeks.
A practical review rhythm
At each phase boundary, review completed evidence, unresolved decisions, and the next owner. If a prerequisite is missing, record who will resolve it and when the team will review it again. Keep acceptance separate from effort spent: a completed meeting is not proof that the new workflow can operate.
Handover and continuing ownership
Agree how the owner reviews performance without taking back daily decisions. Keep a visible list of unresolved responsibilities and revisit it as the manager demonstrates readiness.
Related implementation resources
Discuss the operating problem
Elixir consulting starts at $5,000 per month, with final pricing based on scope. Bring a recent example, the current workflow, and the person who owns the result to define the appropriate implementation scope.