Decision Rights Ladder

Pick one recurring decision you answered today and write down the rung it currently sits at, then move it up one level before the end of the week.

The Decision Rights Ladder is a simple way to show how much authority a person has for a decision. The levels can move from ask, to recommend, to decide within rules, to decide and inform, to fully own.

It helps the founder transfer decision-making safely instead of keeping every decision tied to founder approval.

When authority is vague, asking the founder feels like the safest path. Clear decision rights reduce repeated approvals and help the team act with confidence.

It is not full handoff all at once.

It is not giving away judgment without standards.

It is not expecting the team to guess the limits.

---

The founder must make authority visible before expecting ownership to grow. A person can be capable and still unclear about what they are allowed to decide.

The founder's role is to define the decision, the current level, the next level, and the rule or limit that makes the shift safe.

---

Planning Activities: List recurring decisions that come back to the founder.

Mark the current ownership level.

Choose one decision that can move up one level.

Define the rule, limit, or standard that makes the move safe.

Write the ownership shift message.

Execution Activities: Tell the owner what decision is shifting.

Name the new level of authority.

Explain the rule, limit, and reporting expectation.

Let the owner make the decision within the rule.

Review the decision at the agreed rhythm.

Clear authority reduces repeated approvals.

Your next step is to move one decision up one level so the business can build ownership without unnecessary risk.

This lesson is complete when one recurring decision has a named owner, authority level, rule, and reporting expectation.

1. When was the last time you delegated a recurring decision to a team member, and did you clearly define the decision level (ask, recommend, decide within rules, decide and inform, or fully own) for that decision?

2. Where in your business do you currently have decisions that are being made at a lower level than necessary, such as "ask" or "recommend" when "decide within rules" or higher would suffice?

3. What specific recurring decision in your company could be moved up one level of ownership (e.g., from "decide within rules" to "decide and inform" or from "decide and inform" to "fully own") to improve delegation and clarity?

4. What would need to change in your current processes or team roles for you to confidently assign a decision to a higher level of ownership without causing confusion or micromanagement?