When reclaiming a non-delegable decision, retain only…

When reclaiming a delegated decision that scored 2+ on the non-delegable filter, restructure by retaining the non-delegable core (judgment, value trade-off, contextual interpretation) while re-delegating execution (research, analysis, implementation) to preserve leverage without losing identity.

When This Fires

When a previously delegated task needs to return to your attention because the delegate can't handle the judgment component
When ONLY ME classification reveals tasks that are partially non-delegable
When you want to reclaim decision authority without reclaiming execution burden
When the judgment and execution components of a task can be separated

Common Failure Mode

Reclaiming everything: "The delegate couldn't make the right call, so I'll handle the whole thing myself." You've reclaimed the 2 hours of execution along with the 15 minutes of judgment that actually needed your attention. The execution hours are wasted attention that someone else could handle at 80%+ quality once your judgment provides the direction.

The Protocol

(1) When reclaiming a non-delegable decision, decompose the task: what's the judgment core (the specific moment requiring your unique assessment) and what's the execution periphery (everything else)? (2) Reclaim only the judgment core. Design the reclaimed portion to be as small and focused as possible: a decision point, a review gate, a direction-setting conversation. (3) Re-delegate execution: everything before the judgment point (research, preparation, options analysis) and everything after it (implementation, communication, follow-through) goes to delegates. (4) Design the handoff: what information must the delegate prepare for your judgment? What format? (Three-component handoff spec) What do they do with your judgment output? (5) Your total time on the task should be the judgment core only — not the full task lifecycle.