Who’s the Boss? Get Decision-Making Right
“A committee is a group that keeps minutes and loses hours.” Milton Berle
You know the feeling. You leave a meeting, check the time, and wonder what was actually achieved. What did we decide? Who’s doing what? Or was this just another round of corporate theatre?
Meetings should be about alignment and action. But too often, no one’s clear on how decisions get made or who makes them. The result? More emails. More meetings. More bottlenecks. More “running it up the chain.” As Tom Peters puts it, “the bottleneck is at the top of the bottle.” If every decision gets escalated, progress grinds to a halt.
The best leaders know when to step in and when to get out of the way. So, how do you take control?
1. Decide How You Decide
Not every decision needs a committee. Some need speed. Some need buy-in. The trick is choosing the right approach, with each having increasing levels of involvment:
Command: One person makes the call. Fast, direct, and ideal for urgent or high-stakes decisions. Some leadership teams pre-assign someone to make a “captain’s call” for key decisions to avoid delays.
Consult: The decision-maker gathers input, but the final call rests with them. This balances speed with expertise.
Vote: The majority wins. Simple and democratic—but only works if everyone respects the outcome.
Consensus: The group aligns before moving forward. It’s slow but ensures full buy-in.
Ask yourself: Which approach suits this decision? If you’re choosing lunch, consensus is overkill. If you’re hiring a CEO, a single person making the call is risky.
2. Decide Who Decides
The biggest killer of momentum? Unclear decision rights. If no one knows who’s in charge, decisions get kicked around like a corporate hot potato.
Here’s how to fix it:
Look back – Review your last few big decisions. How were they made? Was the right method used?
Set clear roles – Use RAPID (Responsible, Agree, Perform, Input, Decide). This makes it crystal clear who has the final say.
Give decisions to the right people – If you’re unsure who should decide, follow this simple rule: “The people who live with the consequences should make the decision.” It’s common sense. The closer someone is to the impact of a decision, the better equipped they are to make it.
If it affects frontline teams, let them decide.
If it’s a strategic move, the leadership team should own it.
If it’s cross-functional, define clear decision-makers upfront.
This isn’t about passing the buck—it’s about ownership. When decisions sit with those who are directly impacted, execution is faster, accountability is higher, and frustration disappears.
Be the Boss of Your Decisions
If your team is stuck in decision limbo, fix how and who decides. Own your decisions, and you’ll own your outcomes. That’s what being the boss is all about.