# Delegation Poker
With the method "Delegation Poker", managers and teams can define how decisions can be delegated.
# Subject
Leadership
# Definition
"Delegation Poker" offers the opportunity to discuss the delegation of tasks, decisions and responsibilities on an equal footing and to enable transparency for these decision-making processes. It is primarily intended to stimulate discussions to weigh up the advantages and disadvantages of the possible degrees of delegation and to find the best possible form for the team.
# Motivation
Executives are often anxious to "enable" their team more, but don't really know how to do this. "Delegation Poker" helps you to address the topic without the risk of making wrong, hasty decisions. Talking to your team will give you an idea for the right degree of delegation.
# Benefit
Create transparency and a common understanding to which degree decisions are delegated to a team.
# Requirements
Both sides are willing to discuss and agree on the level of delegation for decisions.
# Procedure
Before the game, each player is given a set of cards numbered 1-7. Each number signifies a different level of delegation. 1 corresponds to "announce": The manager only informs the team about the decision. 2 means "sell": Here, the manager decides, but tries to convince the team that the decision is correct. At level 3 "question", the manager seeks advice from the team before making a decision. At level 4 "agree", the team and manager try to find a compromise. From level 5 "advice" on, the balance shifts in the other direction: Here, the manager advises, but the team decides. At level 6 "inquire", the team makes the decision, but the manager enquires the result. Finally, level 7 corresponds to "delegating", where the team decides completely autonomously. Before the start of the game, the team contemplates team-relevant scenarios in which decisions have to be made, such as about the development of the project design, the hiring of new team members or other topics. Each player then quietly thinks about which delegation level he/she would choose when making this decision. When all players have reached a decision, the cards are revealed. The players with the highest and lowest values each justify their decision. The objective is to find a compromise in the (time-restricted) discussion and to play again in a further round until an aligned result is achieved and the next scenario can be played. The results can be recorded in writing, on a "delegation board", for example. Additional rules are conceivable, such as disregarding the highest or lowest value if this was only drawn by one team member.
# Participants
Agile coach/agile master, stakeholders/managers, the entire team
# Results
A delegation board showing how decisions are delegated.
# Tools
Delegation poker cards / flipchart / whiteboard
# See also
← Decision Poker EDSO →