Working with others
Hand off work so nothing drops
A simple worksheet for passing on work so the next person can pick it up without chasing you
Before you pass work to someone else, write a short handoff covering where it stands, what's due, what's still open, who to know, and where everything lives.
- 20 minutes
- You and whoever takes over
- Whenever work changes hands
- Worksheet
Why this can work
A lot of dropped work gets lost in the handoff, not in the doing. You know dozens of small things the next person can't see, from promises made in passing to why things are set up the way they are. A short note written from their side, then walked through together, lets them carry the work without needing you every day.
Read moreHow to write a project handoff
You’ll come away with a one-page handoff the next person can work from on day one.
- Write the handoff from their side.
Fill it in as if you were the one picking the work up cold. What would you want to know before you touched anything?
Stays in this browser only. Nobody else sees it.
Tip: Write down the things that feel too obvious to mention. Those are usually what's missing.
- Walk them through it live.
Twenty minutes with the note open. Let them ask questions, and add the answers to the note as you go, so it becomes theirs.
You“What would you want to know that isn't here yet?” - Introduce them to the key people.
A short message to each person they'll need, saying who's taking over and that they have the context. It saves the new owner an awkward first contact.
To: the people involvedA quick heads-up: from date, name is taking over the work from me.
They have the full picture, including the thing this person cares about, so please go to them first. For anything that needs my history, I can still fill in until date.
Swap the highlighted parts for your thing. Works on Slack, in email, or said out loud. - Stay reachable for a set time, then step back.
Say how long you'll answer questions and how to reach you; a week or two is common. After that, let them own it, including the calls you'd have made differently.
Good times to repeat it: before you move to a new role or projectbefore extended leavewhen work moves to another team
Making it work for you
Every workplace is different. Here’s what to think about before you start, and what might get in the way.
Things to think about
The next person needs to act on Monday, not understand everything. Lead with what's due soonest and what could go wrong.
What might make this harder
Do the short version anyway: where it stands, what's due, and where things live. It's for the work and the next person, not for anyone who upset you.
Questions people ask
What should a handoff document include?
Where the work stands, what's due and when, open questions, the key people and how to reach them, and where the files live. A line on what you'd watch out for is worth adding.
How do I hand over my work before leaving a job?
Write a short handoff for each main piece of work, walk the new owner through it, introduce them to the key people, and stay reachable for a week or two.
How long should a handover note be?
Usually a page or less per piece of work. Long enough to act on, short enough to read in one sitting.
How do I take over someone else's project?
Ask for a short handoff and a live walkthrough, and ask what they'd watch out for. Then meet the key people early, before you need something from them.
Why this works, and where it comes from
When work changes hands, the files usually make it across. What gets lost is everything around them: the deadline someone agreed to in a hallway, the reason a setting looks wrong on purpose, the person who needs a heads-up before anything ships. The things that feel too obvious to write down are exactly what the next person doesn't know. You've carried them so long they stopped feeling like information.
So the useful question isn't what have I done. It's what will they need on the first morning. From their side, taking over someone's work is an act of trust with a lot of uncertainty in it. They don't know what they don't know, and every question they have to chase costs them a little credibility with people they've only just met. A handoff written for them, with the people introduced and the loose ends named, lets them start as someone who knows what's going on.
It's good for you too. Work you built keeps its value when it lands well, and people remember who made things easy to pick up. A handoff is often the last thing anyone sees of your work on a project, so it tends to be remembered.
For a short absence, where the work waits for you rather than moving to someone else, this is more than you need; a heads-up and a note on what can pause will do. And if you're handing work to someone who's never done anything like it, a document won't be enough. Plan a few working sessions together instead.
Other simple things to consider
What to do next
More in Working with others
Never lose the proof of your work
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An exercise written by Truest, based on our experience. Last updated September 25, 2026. We sell a career membership; where that’s relevant above, we say so.