Dan Paulson

One of the questions I ask during an assessment usually catches owners off guard.

“What decisions can your managers make without asking you?”

It’s a simple question.

The answers usually aren’t.

Some owners immediately start listing things they wish their managers would do. Others realize they’ve never clearly defined what decisions belong to whom. In many companies, employees have learned it’s easier to ask than decide because that’s how the business has operated for years.

The operational cost doesn’t show up on a financial statement.

It shows up in delayed projects, slower customer response, frustrated managers, inconsistent decisions, and an owner whose day is spent answering questions instead of leading the business.

I’ve found that improving decision-making isn’t about telling people to take more ownership. It’s about giving them the clarity and confidence to make the right decisions in the first place.

When that happens, decisions move faster, managers grow, and owners finally have time to focus on the work only they can do.

That’s a much different conversation than simply telling people to “be accountable.”

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