A team I once worked with told me their meetings felt like a waste of time. The same issues resurfaced week after week, decisions rarely stuck, and people left unsure of who was responsible for what.
The issue wasn’t capability – it was clarity.
Bain & Company research shows that decision effectiveness is one of the strongest predictors of organisational performance (Rogers & Blenko, 2006). Yet in many teams, the way decisions are made is left to chance.
When roles, processes, and ownership aren’t clear, two things happen:
- Decision fatigue sets in. People get tired of revisiting the same conversations.
- Trust erodes. According to Harvard research, slow or unclear decisions drain energy and reduce confidence in leadership (Kotter, 2012).
Leaders who want truly deliberate, high-performing teams can’t afford to leave decision-making to chance.
Three Practices for Leaders
- Set decision rights early. Be explicit about who owns the decision, who provides input, and who needs to be informed.
- Close the loop in writing. Document decisions and next steps so there’s no room for “I thought you meant…”
- Model decisiveness. Show your team that thoughtful decisions don’t need to take forever.
Three Practices for Teams
- Ask for proactive clarity. If decision roles aren’t clear, raise it early. Confusion left unchecked quickly becomes frustration.
- Respect final decisions once made. Healthy debate is vital – but once a decision is final, full alignment truly matters.
- Bring practical solutions, not just problems. Elevate the conversation by focusing on constructive ways forward.
If your team is caught in what I call “decision déjà vu” – revisiting the same problems without progress – it’s time to reset.
Deliberate teams make decision-making intentional, structured, and transparent. The payoff is not just faster decisions, but stronger alignment, higher trust, and better results.
Sources:
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Rogers, P., & Blenko, M. (2006). Who Has the D? How Clear Decision Roles Enhance Organizational Performance. Harvard Business Review.
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Kotter, J.P. (2012). Accelerate!. Harvard Business Review.
