Why Decisions Slow Down
Decisions slow down because of ambiguity. Not ambiguity about the facts. Ambiguity about who gets to decide. When nobody owns the decision, it goes to committee. When it goes to committee, it takes three times as long. The fix is not to make faster decisions. The fix is to make it clear who owns the decision.
The 2-Hour Rule
Any decision that affects one person can be made by that person in two hours. Any decision that affects a team can be made by the team lead in four hours. Any decision that affects a company can be made by the CEO in one day. These are not arbitrary numbers. They reflect the time it takes to gather the minimum necessary information, make the call, and communicate it.
What "Minimum Necessary" Means
Minimum necessary information does not mean no information. It means enough information to make a decision that is 80% right. The last 20% of information gathering takes 80% of the time. It rarely changes the decision. It just delays it.
The Fix
Name the decision owner. Give them a deadline. Two hours for personal decisions. Four hours for team decisions. One day for company decisions. If the decision is not made by the deadline, escalate to the next level with a recommendation. The deadline creates urgency. The owner creates accountability.
