Practice knowledge base
Delegation Poker
Delegation Poker helps managers and teams agree on who makes decisions in specific areas of responsibility and where oversight is required.
Documentation sections
What it is
Delegation Poker is a team-based method for discussing delegation levels for recurring decisions and areas of responsibility. The manager and team members choose the level of autonomy: from the manager's sole decision to full team autonomy. This practice is useful when the scope of action is unclear, leading to unnecessary approvals, micromanagement, or risky independent decisions.
When it helps
- Employees wait for the manager's confirmation even for routine work matters.
- The manager often intervenes in tasks after already delegating them to the team.
- The team disputes who has the authority to make decisions without separate approval.
- New areas of responsibility emerge faster than the team can agree on the rules.
- Team members have different understandings of where they can act autonomously.
How to start
- 1 Select several recurring decisions that frequently cause delays or require repeated approvals.
- 2 Describe for each decision seven levels of manager involvement: from the manager's personal decision to full delegation to the team.
- 3 Conduct a brief discussion with the manager and team members who are genuinely responsible for these decisions.
- 4 Document the chosen delegation level for each area of responsibility in a location accessible to the team.
- 5 After a few weeks, review which levels cause confusion and clarify the boundaries of authority.
Expected effect
The team more quickly understands which decisions can be made independently and where the manager should be involved in advance. The manager gains a clear framework for delegation without constant direct oversight.
Common pitfalls
- Discussing autonomy in general terms rather than focusing on specific decisions and areas of responsibility.
- Establishing a high level of delegation where the team currently lacks access to data or resources.
- Changing the manager's involvement level without explaining the reasons to the team.
- Using the practice as a formal vote, although the manager retains ultimate responsibility for the boundaries of authority.
- Failing to review agreements after changes in team composition, risks, or process maturity.
Further reading
- Book: Jurgen Appelo, Management 3.0: Leading Agile Developers, Developing Agile Leaders
- Book: Jurgen Appelo, Managing for Happiness
FAQ
Who should initiate this practice?
Typically, the team manager initiates it, as they are responsible for defining the boundaries of authority. The team helps clarify where they have sufficient context for independent decisions and where support is still needed.
Can Delegation Poker be conducted without an external facilitator?
Yes. It is sufficient to select a few real-world decisions, pre-define the scale of delegation levels, and guide the discussion around practical examples rather than abstract trust.
What if the manager and team choose different levels?
Analyze the reason for the discrepancy: lack of experience, data, trust, or resources. Subsequently, select an intermediate level and agree on what needs to change to achieve greater autonomy.
How can one determine if the practice is effective?
Observe whether there are fewer repeated approvals for the selected decisions and if the team has a clearer understanding of when to involve the manager. If disagreements persist, refine the definitions of the areas of responsibility.