Two people can approve it. Neither of them will.

Most stalled decisions in a growing business are not contested: they are unowned, and the mechanism that creates them is easy to miss from the top.

By Steve 4 min read
Abstract bridge artwork for Two people can approve it. Neither of them will.

A purchase sits unapproved for five weeks. Nobody has rejected it. Nobody is arguing about it. Ask the operations lead and they say they assumed the finance lead would sign it, since it touches next year’s budget. Ask the finance lead and they say they were waiting for operations to confirm it was actually needed. Neither has done anything wrong. Both would approve it if asked directly. The decision is simply not anyone’s. This is one of the most common failure modes in businesses between roughly fifteen and eighty people,…

Keep reading for free

Create an account to read the rest.

The whole library is free. No card, no subscription, no trial that quietly ends. An account simply lets us know who we are writing for, and opens every article from here on.

  • Every article, in full, at no cost
  • New articles published every weekday
  • Takes about twenty seconds
Create a free account I already have one

Free means free. We will not charge you for the library, and you can read as much of it as you like.

Important: General information only. Rialto Bridge articles describe patterns and considerations that may apply to a business; they are not financial, legal, tax or accounting advice, and they take no account of your particular circumstances. Consider your own situation and seek advice from a qualified professional before acting.

More on Leadership

Scroll to Top