Define Ownership and Decision Rights

Clarify who owns which initiatives, who makes key decisions, and how those decisions flow across the org. Avoid duplication, escalation overload, or ambiguity by assigning ownership with accountability.

Why it's Matters

As teams grow, things break not because people don’t care, but because no one knows who owns what. Clear ownership and decision boundaries eliminate friction and speed up execution.

What You Need to Do

Assign decision rights for strategic initiatives, projects, and recurring work
Make accountability visible, not implied
Define how decisions get escalated or delegated

How to Approach It

Use a RACI or RAPID model for 3-5 key workflows
Assign “directly responsible individuals” (DRIs) per outcome
Define how cross-functional decisions are made
Review/update quarterly or after major org changes

Deliverables

Ownership map (RACI, RAPID)
DRI list by function or initiative
Conflict resolution protocol

How to Tell if You Got It Right

People know who to ask for what
Decisions happen faster
Fewer escalations and “who's responsible?”debates

What to Watch Out For

Decision paralysis
Two teams “owning” the same thing
Founders being the bottleneck in every call