Builder's Tools · Authority
The Decision Rights Template
Most decisions stall because no one is sure who owns them. Use this worksheet to make decision rights explicit: one named owner per decision, the authority level that matches their responsibility, and who is consulted or informed. Fill it in, then print or save it for your team.
| Decision | Owner (one name) | Authority: Decide / Recommend / Input | Consulted | Informed | Next review |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
How to use it
- One owner per decision. A team is not an owner. If two names share a decision, it has no owner.
- Match authority to responsibility. If someone is accountable for the result, they should be the one who can Decide, not merely Recommend.
- Push the decision to the point of work. The person closest to the facts should hold the authority unless there is a real reason not to.
- Every decision that lands on Recommend or Input is a place work will wait. Keep those deliberate and few.
Related: Match Authority to Responsibility and the lesson Decentralize Authority.