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Five-Level Delegation Ladder
Delegate each task at one of five explicit levels instead of just "do it" or "don't".
Goal
End delegation ambiguity by explicitly setting the employee's authority level on each task, stopping per-step approval requests and the manager's loss-of-control anxiety.
Steps
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1
Write a list of ten tasks you or your team perform weekly.
Expected Outcome
Immediate
"Should I do X?" messages drop by half within a week as the employee knows their authority.
Evidence base
School: Management 3.0 / Delegation Poker
Founders: Jurgen Appelo (2010)
The Delegation Levels model from Jurgen Appelo's Management 3.0; widely adopted in Agile firms to clarify authority in self-organizing teams.
Keywords
Frequently asked questions
How long does "Five-Level Delegation Ladder" take?
This exercise takes about 20 minutes, practiced with another person in a Behavioral format.
When will I notice the effect of "Five-Level Delegation Ladder"?
"Should I do X?" messages drop by half within a week as the employee knows their authority. In the short term: After a month, 3-5 hours per week of manager time spent on routine approvals is freed up.
Is "Five-Level Delegation Ladder" evidence-based?
Yes — it draws on Management 3.0 / Delegation Poker (Jurgen Appelo (2010)). The Delegation Levels model from Jurgen Appelo's Management 3.0; widely adopted in Agile firms to clarify authority in self-organizing teams.
Is "Five-Level Delegation Ladder" suitable for beginners?
Its difficulty level is: Intermediate. No external tools required — it can be practiced directly inside the app.
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