Further reading on delegation, visibility, and scale

This is the part worth digging into further.

Not because I need more theory for the sake of it, but because there is a genuine operating question underneath it: how do I keep grip on outcomes as the number of teams grows without sliding into status-chasing sludge?

Questions to explore

1. What should remain visible after delegation?

Not every delegated item needs attention, but some clearly do. I need a better rule for what stays on my radar and what can genuinely leave it.

Likely factors:

deadline proximity
external dependency
political sensitivity
whether the work unblocks something else
whether silence creates false confidence

2. What is the lightest useful way to track "waiting on" work?

I do not want a giant tracking machine. I do want enough signal to intervene before a missed expectation turns into surprise.

The test is simple:

does it help me act earlier?
does it create clarity?
does it avoid performative admin?

3. How should a scaled delivery portfolio surface dependency risk?

As the span widens, I need visibility that is sharper than instinct but lighter than full reporting. That probably means:

clearer ownership
visible dependency states
midweek intervention points
fewer accidental hand-offs

Possible experiments

Experiment 1

Add a simple Waiting on section to my own weekly view:

item
owner
next chase point
impact if it slips

Experiment 2

Treat delegated work as open until it is complete, deferred, or re-prioritised.

Experiment 3

Review dependency items explicitly on Wednesday in compressed weeks.