Decision-making Roles: Is this my decision?
Even for the most empowered, committed and purposeful leadership team, having ambiguous or overlapping roles and decision-rights is a major time drain on decision-making.
When there is no clarity around roles, most organisations1 default assumption is that the most senior person is the decision-maker. (Hint: that’s usually the CEO!)
Avoid ambiguity and assign people into four different roles of a decision-making team (DARE):
Decision Maker
Makes the final decision, lays out the decision-making process and who does what.
Advisor
Provides help/input to inform a decision (e.g. subject matter experts).
Recommender
Analyses insight, options, risks and implications, then recommends a solution.
Executor
Executes the decision, needs to buy-in and understand it for speed of implementation.
If you are not one of these, you are a spectator and there is no role for you, so you should remove yourself! Just being involved is proven to slow down decision-making and reduce employee satisfaction – including your own.
Ask: Is this really my decision to make?
If not, which part of it is? At your peril, enter a decision-making process about a decision where you are neither the decision-maker nor the designated recommender.
You’ve got the key information – now it’s time to create some real value with it.
We are here to help your team upskill in decision-making, transforming knowledge into targeted, meaningful results. Our tailored workshops will equip your team with the precise tools to make skilful, timely decisions, then communicate them powerfully.
Workshop enquiries email: info@horizon37.co.uk
- Source: Adapted by Horizon37 from McKinsey Podcast – To Unlock Better Decision Making, Plan Better Meetings, Nov 2020
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