Improving Your Interactions with the TASC Method

Hi!

In her book "Dare to Lead," Brené Brown explores fundamental themes for modern leaders: courage, vulnerability, trust, and empathy. She also offers concrete tools to improve our interactions and project management.

Today, I'm going to introduce you to one of these tools, the TASC method—a simple but powerful approach to structure your projects and strengthen collaboration.

Why the TASC Method?

The TASC method (Task, Authority, Success, Checklist) answers an essential question: how do you ensure that the people you work with have everything they need to achieve their goals effectively?

It's a four-step process that allows you to clarify expectations, empower your team, and avoid frustrations related to misunderstandings or lack of resources.

The 4 Steps of the TASC Method

Task: Who is responsible?

Start by clearly identifying the person in charge of a task. This may seem obvious, but in practice, you can quickly end up with a blocked project because responsibilities aren't well-defined or poorly distributed.

Make sure all project stakeholders know who does what.

Authority: Does the person have the power to act?

Having an assigned task is good. But if the person doesn't have the necessary authority to mobilise resources, make decisions, or collaborate with other teams, they risk getting blocked. Ensure they have sufficient support and authority to carry out their mission.

Example: You delegate a project to someone, and this project requires time and effort from the marketing team. If your project manager doesn't have the authority to prioritize these actions relative to the marketing manager's priorities, the project risks stagnating.

To avoid this, clearly define priorities with all stakeholders, indicate that the project in question is key and priority, and that everyone must make themselves available to help the project manager.

Success: Are the conditions met?

Make sure the responsible person has the time, resources, and clarity needed.

This includes a precise definition of success criteria. In Product Management, we call this the "Definition of Done".

When you launch a task or project, make sure to clarify what constitutes success to avoid misunderstandings and wasted time.

Personally, I systematically ask myself (and others) the following question(s):

• What does it look like when it's finished?

• For us to be satisfied, what do we need to achieve in the end?

Example: If someone asks you: "a sales report ASAP" (...so many things wrong with this sentence). Clarify:

• What details are expected?

• What is the exact deadline?

• What KPIs or graphs are required?

This discussion ensures the deliverable will meet expectations the first time.

Checklist: Detail the steps

Once success criteria are defined, create and share a checklist. It allows you to track task progress (obviously) and ensure everyone is on the same page and/or can contribute. A key step for coordination, especially in complex projects.

Why TASC Works

• Task → avoids confusion about responsibilities.

• Authority → prevents blockages related to lack of decision-making power.

• Success → guarantees alignment and favorable conditions for achieving a clearly established goal.

• Checklist → ensures clear and transparent tracking.

Adopt TASC Daily

Integrating the TASC method into your daily routine can improve how you manage your projects.

How to systematise the approach:

• Make it a habit: Before each meeting or project launch, review the four steps. Personally, in my project management tool, I use a template that reminds me to specify each element of the TASC method.

  • For example use a Notion Template for the TASC Method

• Provoke discussions: Use TASC to clarify expectations with your team or contacts. After all, it's a tool for exchange and collaboration.

  • When I'm on a project, I involve the people I work with to help me clarify each part of TASC, and I make sure each of the 4 points is clear, complete, and understood before launching the project.

• Test and adjust: Apply TASC to simple projects and observe the results. You can then extend it to more complex contexts.

TASC applies everywhere: from creating a slide for a sales presentation, to developing a new feature, or opening a new country for your company. The key is to practice and adapt.

Conclusion

The TASC method is a simple tool, and remarkably effective for structuring your work, your team's work, and strengthening collaboration.

By adopting it, you can not only avoid misunderstandings and blockages but also improve engagement and cohesion within your team.

And most importantly, TASC forces you to take time to step back (often neglected) to clarify a request and increase execution efficiency.

So, ready to try? Task, Authority, Success, Checklist. Let's go!

Happy exploring, and see you very soon!

Franck ⟁

Resources

• Book: Dare to Lead by Brené Brown

• Podcasts:

  • Unlocking Us by Brené Brown

  • Dare to Lead by Brené Brown

• TED Talk: The Power of Vulnerability by Brené Brown

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