Harnessing the 85 - 10 - 5 Rule for Effective Delegation

Are you feeling overwhelmed by the never-ending tasks on your to-do list?

Do you find yourself wishing you had more time in the day to focus on what truly matters?

If so, you're not alone.

Many professionals struggle to identify which tasks they can delegate to others, allowing them to reclaim their time and energy.

But no worries! I have a solution for you.

By following a simple approach, you can gain clarity on what tasks you can let go of and pass on to your capable team members.

SELF-REFLECTION EXERCISE:

Over the next 30 days, ask yourself these questions about activities and decisions. Document your answers.

• Take a moment to identify the activities that consume your time and attention.
• Which ones do you wish you could stop doing?
• Write them all down.
• Then, group them by category to see if patterns emerge.

Now, take a step back and ask yourself...

• Should I continue to be solely responsible for these entire categories, or can I delegate some of the activities within them?

For example, can you assign email management to a trusted team member? Possibly empower someone to lead routine meetings?

Remember, you don't have to carry the weight alone.

Consider entrusting the entire category to someone else, along with all the associated tasks.

How to Delegate Decisions

Next, let's talk about decision-making.

• Evaluate the decisions you regularly make.
• Do you know if they all require your involvement?
• Would someone else be able to handle them effectively?
• For instance, can you delegate approval of routine expenses to your finance team?
• Additionally, are there decisions where others can provide alternative options and recommendations, allowing you to make choices collaboratively?

If so, empower those around you to take on more activities related to presenting recommendations.

For example, let your team member research and present alternatives for software solutions.

By doing so, you distribute the workload and tap into your team's expertise.

The 85 - 10 - 5 Rule for Effective Delegation

Now, let's introduce you to what I have found to be a powerful framework for evaluating and taking action once you've completed all your thinking.

I call it the 85 - 10 - 5 rule. It provides a clear structure for effective delegation.

After you identify your activities, categories, and decisions, consider how to delegate within this framework.

You can give your team members the freedom to handle 85% of their tasks and decisions without needing your prior review or reporting.

• For example, they can independently respond to routine customer inquiries or resolve minor technical issues.
• This autonomy fosters independence and efficiency.

For another 10% of tasks and decisions, encourage your team members to report back on progress.

• This way, you stay informed without being directly involved in every step.
• For instance, they can provide weekly updates for ongoing projects or share critical insights from client meetings.

Finally, reserve 5% of tasks and decisions for your review and approval.

• This ensures critical matters receive your attention while still maintaining a balance.
• For example, high-level strategic decisions or major budget allocations may require your final sign-off.

 

Remember, providing clarity on responsibilities and authority is critical to maximizing productivity. Ambiguity only hampers progress.

 

By defining roles, responsibilities, and authority within the 85-10-5 rule framework, you empower your staff and set them up for success.

So, can you take the time to reflect, identify, and delegate? Let go of the overwhelm and trust in the abilities of your team.

By implementing these strategies, you'll reclaim your time and create a culture of empowerment and productivity within your team.

With a track record of operational success, Pat Alacqua founded the Entrepreneur To Enterprise Program. The platform provides insights into overcoming business challenges by offering practical tips, strategies, and best practices that accelerate your professional career growth and business-building success.

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