Business operations concept · updated August 9, 2026
Delegation Ladder
A delegation ladder is a scale describing how much autonomy a person has over a task, from "do exactly this" to "act and inform me later."
Example
A manager tells a new hire "research the options and recommend one" rather than "do exactly this," naming a middle rung on the ladder instead of leaving the level of autonomy unstated.
Why it matters
Naming the rung removes the ambiguity that causes both micromanagement, when autonomy is lower than assumed, and unwelcome surprises, when it's higher.
Limits and cautions
The right rung depends on the task's stakes and the person's experience with it, not a fixed rule applied the same way to everyone.
Relevance to Stelaah
Stelaah's task assignments and approval settings can encode the intended level of autonomy alongside the work itself.
This connection describes product intent, not a guarantee that every plan or workflow supports every related capability.