Good decision making begins with clear roles and accountabilities. People know which decisions they are responsible for, when to provide input and who is accountable for following through. Just as important, they know what's out of their scope. Bain uses a proprietary tool called RAPIDŽ to help managers map their roles and accountabilities.
Many of the most important decisions cut across different functions. But it's not as simple as making one person accountable and ensuring that he or she has the proper interactions. Top performers also make sure their organizational structure is based on the sources of value in the business. If a company's decision roles and structure are out of line with its most important sources of value, it can cripple the business. When the roles are well-defined, however, and the organization's structure lines up with the value in the business, the speed of decision making improves along with the quality of those decisions.
Our approach to decision making is practical and simple. We've found that removing ambiguity and making accountability clear unleashes productivity and delivers significant payoffs. We apply that principle to all aspects of the organization, focusing first on issues surrounding the major sources of value.
To find out more about Bain's work in this capability area, please contact the practice.
RAPIDŽ is a registered trademark of Bain & Company, Inc.
Who has the D? How clear decision roles enhance organizational performance 
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