Asking vs Delegating
The biggest mistake new users make? Treating their agent like a search engine. Here's the difference:
❌ Asking (LLM Style)
"What are good Italian restaurants near me?"
✅ Delegating (Agent Style)
"Find 3 highly-rated Italian restaurants within 10 minutes. Check availability Saturday 7pm. Book the best one."
The 3-Part Delegation Formula
1. What
The task you want done
2. Context
Background information
3. Success Criteria
How you want the result
Why This Matters
Agents are action-oriented. When you ask "what is..." they answer. When you delegate "find and book..." they execute. The more you delegate, the more value you get.
Before & After Examples
Investment Research
❌ Weak
How do I invest in index funds?✅ Strong
Research index fund investing for beginners. Create a summary of the 3 best options for someone with $10,000 to invest. Include risk levels and expected returns in a comparison table.Travel Planning
❌ Weak
What's the weather tomorrow?✅ Strong
Check the weather for tomorrow. If it's raining, remind me to bring an umbrella and suggest rescheduling my 2pm outdoor coffee meeting.Workout Planning
❌ Weak
What's a good workout routine?✅ Strong
I'm a beginner with 30 minutes daily. Create a 4-week workout plan that requires no equipment. Schedule the workouts on my calendar for 7am weekdays. Remind me each morning.🎯 Quick Quiz: Fix This Request
"How do I meal prep?" — Which is the best delegation rewrite?
✅ Correct! This includes what (meal plan), context (beginner, 5-day), and success criteria (shopping list, high-protein, budget-friendly).
❌ Still too vague. The best answer includes specific context and deliverables.
Your Turn — 3 Exercises
1
Rewrite "Asking" Questions
Take these weak requests and rewrite them as delegations:
Rewrite these as delegations: 1) "What's a good workout routine?" 2) "How do I meal prep?" 3) "What should I read next?"
2
Use the 3-Part Formula
Create a delegation using What + Context + Success Criteria.
Research [what] for [context: your situation]. Present the results as [success criteria: format you want].
3
Build Trust Through Verification
Start with a small delegation, review the result, and give feedback.
Find 3 articles about [topic] from this month. Summarize each in 2-3 sentences and include the source links. Present as a bulleted list.
Module 5 Complete!
You've mastered the delegation mindset. Next: building your agent team.