Also, make clear the budget available and budgetary limitations. Be sure the employee understands his or her authority. Again, have the employee repeat back to you his or her understanding of authority regarding the task. Resolve any misunderstandings at the beginning. Establish a time limit.
Time means different thing to different people.
If you want the delegated work completed within a certain period, make that clear to the employee. Also, if you want portions of the work completed by certain dates, make that clear. Establish a follow-up schedule. Monitoring the progress avoids a discovery two days before the due date that the task is not on schedule. It also can serve as an indication of whether the employee needs assistance.