Tasks

One accountable owner per task. If multiple people must contribute, break the work into sub-tasks or use a short checklist inside one task — but keep a single name on the line for completion.

This rule exists because accountability diffuses quickly in transaction work. “The team is on it” is not an answer regulators or clients accept when something material was missed.

When ownership changes, the outgoing owner should leave a concise handoff: what is done, what is blocked, and what the next owner should verify independently.

Link the relevant thread or document version so the new owner does not rebuild context from memory. Memory is where operational risk hides.

Prefer tasks attached to a deal record. That attachment is what makes reporting trustworthy and prevents “shadow work” that never appears in pipeline conversations.

If a task genuinely spans deals (rare), document why in the task description and pick a primary deal for roll-up reporting.

Delegation assigns execution with retained standards. Abdication drops a task into another queue without clarity. Harold can route work — it cannot replace explicit human agreement on expectations.

If you delegate, specify acceptance criteria: file location, recipient list, approval status, and any template constraints.