The 10-80-10 Delegation Rule: A Smart Leader’s Guide to Effective Delegation
If you’ve ever delegated a task and felt like you either had to do it yourself or redo it later, you’re not alone. Delegation can be one of the most powerful tools in leadership — but only if done well. That’s where the 10-80-10 rule comes in. This simple yet powerful framework helps leaders strike the perfect balance between providing direction and empowering their team. It’s not just a management strategy; it’s a mindset shift.
In this article, we’ll break down the 10-80-10 rule, show how it works in practice, and offer real-world examples to help you apply it effectively — whether you’re leading a team in a school, a startup, or a corporate office.
What Is the 10-80-10 Rule?
The 10-80-10 rule is a delegation model designed to maximize both efficiency and ownership. It divides any project or task into three phases:
The first 10%: You (the leader) get things started. You provide context, clarity, direction, goals, and guardrails.
The middle 80%: Your team member or delegate runs with it. They plan, execute, problem-solve, and move the work forward.
The final 10%: You come back in to review, refine, support final decision-making, and ensure alignment with broader goals.
This approach ensures you’re actively involved in the most impactful parts of the work — the beginning and the end — without micromanaging or disengaging entirely.
Why It Works
Many leaders struggle with delegation because they either:
Don’t give enough guidance at the start (leading to confusion), or
Stay too involved throughout (leading to micromanagement and burnout).
The 10-80-10 rule addresses both problems. It ensures:
The work starts off with clarity and momentum,
Your team gets the chance to take real ownership, and
You still have the opportunity to influence the final outcome.
A Simple Example: Planning a School Event
Let’s say you're a school principal planning a community open house.
Your first 10% might include meeting with a staff lead to explain the purpose of the event, expected turnout, budget, and key dates. You also share insights from past events and clarify what success looks like.
Their 80% involves building the plan — coordinating with teachers, organizing food, arranging student performances, creating promotional materials, and solving any hiccups that come up along the way.
Your final 10% might include reviewing the final program, checking for alignment with school values, helping make final calls on budget adjustments, and sending a personal welcome message for the event program.
Result? The staff member grows in leadership, you maintain quality and alignment, and the event gets done without you carrying it all on your shoulders.
Business Example: Delegating a Marketing Campaign
Imagine you’re the founder of a small business launching a new product.
First 10%: You meet with your marketing manager and clearly explain the product's key value proposition, target customer, goals for the campaign, and timeline. You also share brand guidelines and a few ideas to spark their creativity.
Middle 80%: Your marketing manager drafts the campaign, coordinates with designers, sets up ad targeting, and monitors early results.
Final 10%: You review the final campaign before it goes live, approve messaging, make sure everything aligns with the brand, and help resolve any last-minute issues.
This creates a system where the leader doesn't have to do everything, but still adds value at the most critical points.
How to Use the 10-80-10 Rule in Your Day-to-Day Work
Here are a few practical steps to apply this rule:
Be intentional in the first 10%. Set aside real time to communicate clearly. Rushed delegation leads to frustration on both sides.
Trust the process in the 80%. Resist the urge to hover. Offer support when asked, but let them drive.
Return for the final 10%. Don’t skip this. If you disappear completely, you lose the chance to coach, correct, or celebrate.
When the 10-80-10 Rule Might Need Tweaking
Like any model, this one isn’t one-size-fits-all. If you’re working with a brand-new team member or someone learning a completely new skill, you may need to stay more involved in the middle 80%. That’s okay — just make it part of their development plan to gradually step back.
Conversely, if you have a high-performing team member with deep experience, you might only need 5% at the start and 5% at the end.
Final Thought: Delegation Is Leadership
The 10-80-10 rule reminds us that delegation isn’t about dumping tasks. It’s about developing people. By showing up at the beginning and end, you’re doing more than ensuring quality — you’re building trust, teaching strategy, and setting your team up to lead without you.
So the next time you delegate something, ask yourself: Have I done the first 10% well? Have I made room for their 80%? Am I planning to show up for the final 10%?
If yes — you’re not just delegating. You’re leading.