A Butler Works Best When Trusted
In the previous installment, we discussed the art of giving clear instructions. Today, I would like to go one step further: the balance between delegation and confirmation.
Surprising as it may sound, over-checking can actually hinder a butler’s performance.
Too Many Confirmations Hold the Butler Back
Some Masters use Claude Code like this:
“Sebastian, read this file.” → confirm → “Now read the next file.” → confirm → “Now make the fix.” → confirm…
Step-by-step approval may seem careful and methodical. But in practice, it prevents the butler from seeing the full picture and finding the best path forward.
When you ask a butler to tidy a room, do you require approval each time a chair is moved?
When Delegating, Simply Share the Goal
Claude Code performs at its best when given a goal and the freedom to determine how to reach it.
“Sebastian, improve the response time of this API. I’ll leave the approach to you.”
With that, I will read the files, identify the problem, weigh the options, apply the best fix, and run the tests — all while you attend to something else.
That Said, Always Confirm These Three Things
That does not mean everything should be left unchecked. As your butler, there are three situations where I must always ask for your guidance:
① Deploying to production This cannot be undone. Please allow me to ask: “Shall I deploy to production?” before proceeding.
② Deleting data Files, database records, branches. Once gone, they may be gone forever.
③ Major architectural changes When restructuring something fundamental, I must confirm the direction is correct before proceeding.
Delegating Is Not the Same as Abandoning
To delegate is to trust the process. To abandon is to stop caring about the outcome.
The ideal approach:
- Share the goal and trust the butler with the execution
- Review the result when the work is complete
- Stay involved at moments that truly matter
This is the foundation of a good working relationship with your butler.
A Butler’s Summary
- For day-to-day tasks, share the goal and step back
- For production deploys, deletions, and major changes — always confirm
- Trust the process; verify the result
The more you trust your butler, the more fully he can serve you. Please, do not hesitate to delegate.
Next time: “Setting house rules for your butler with CLAUDE.md.”
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