Delegation Poker for Better Leadership

This is Delegation Poker

Delegation Poker is a management method from Management 3.0 that enables teams and leaders to effectively delegate decisions and clearly distribute responsibilities within a project or organization. The goal is to simplify leadership and collaboration. This method was developed by Jurgen Appelo and is now used in many companies worldwide.

In everyday life, it often happens that a leader delegates a specific task to an employee. The employee then completes the task and proudly presents the result. But the leader is deeply disappointed because, from their perspective, something completely wrong came out.

Both are totally disappointed. Either the leader now does the task themselves, or both try it again, feeling insecure. Either way, the delegation is not optimal.

Delegation Poker provides a simple remedy here because it clearly regulates the handover and expectations for the task's completion on a scale of 1 to 7 for all parties involved.

Who is Delegation Poker suitable for?

Delegation Poker is suitable for any company or organization that wants to improve its efficiency through better delegation or decisions, or that promotes the use of agile methods. It is particularly valuable for teams and leaders who have difficulty making decisions or agreeing on responsibilities. It is also suitable for companies that want to train their staff in decision-making and project management skills.

How Delegation Poker works

Delegation Poker is an easy-to-learn method based on a card game. Cards are used to illustrate the different levels of decision-making and responsibility. The cards cover a scale from "Tell" by the leader to "Delegate" to the team. Participants distribute these cards depending on the task or responsibility to determine who is responsible for decision-making or implementation.

The game is usually played in a group of three to seven people and lasts between 15 and 60 minutes, depending on the complexity of the task. Participants sit together and discuss the tasks that need to be delegated. Each participant then chooses a card that reflects their preferences or abilities in decision-making. The cards are then revealed and discussed.

When all participants lay down the same cards, the Delegation Poker ends, and everyone involved has a common understanding of who has what responsibility.

If participants lay down different cards, the different views and assessments are discussed. Through the exchange and discussion, an understanding of the experience and skills necessary to cope with the task or decision is gained. After the discussion, the participants choose another card and lay it face up. This process is repeated until all participants lay down the same cards.

Why should you use Delegation Poker?

Delegation Poker is a method that enables companies and organizations to improve their decision-making and responsibilities. It promotes clear communication and accountability within teams, which can lead to higher efficiency and better project management. It also enables better collaboration and promotes self-organization, as participants learn to take responsibility and make decisions instead of waiting for a leader.

Conclusion

Delegation Poker is a simple but effective method to improve decision-making and responsibilities within teams and organizations. It promotes clear communication and accountability and can lead to higher efficiency and better project management. Companies and organizations focusing on agile methods should definitely try this method to improve their decision-making and project management skills.