The Jordan Factor™ · Resource
Clarify who decides, who advises, and who needs to know before work stalls.
What this is
The same decision showed up in three meetings, four Slack threads, and one “just checking in” email that quietly stole half the afternoon. The problem wasn’t the decision. No one knew who owned it.
That’s a decision rights problem.
When decision rights are clear, meetings get shorter. Decisions move faster. Accountability becomes easier to see.
When they are unclear, teams get loops, delays, second-guessing, duplicate work, and the familiar leadership fog of: “Who actually owns this?”
This template is designed to map decision rights for the decisions that matter most. Not every small decision needs a formal map. But the decisions tied to growth, risk, people, money, customers, AI, or strategy need clarity before they create drag.
RADAR connection
In the RADAR framework, this sits inside Decision Rights: who decides, who advises, who needs to know, and how decisions move through the business.
Use the companion worksheet
This page explains how decision rights work. The companion worksheet gives you the fillable map to apply it to one decision at a time.
Use the worksheet to define the decision, assign roles, test the map, and document escalation triggers before the work gets stuck.
When to use this template
Decision rights are not about control for control’s sake. They are about making the path visible before the work gets stuck.
A simple decision flow
Decision needed
Decider named
Advisors consulted
People informed
Decision recorded
How to use this template
Write down a decision with business weight: Should we adopt this AI tool? Should we change pricing? Should we approve this client exception? Should we hire for this role now? The clearer the decision, the cleaner the map.
List the people or functions connected to the decision. Most maps need 3–6 roles: the final decision owner, the people whose input is needed before the call, and the people who need to know after the call is made. Use roles where possible, not just names.
For each role, assign one primary right: Decides, Advises, or Informed. One person should own the final decision. Others may advise. Others may need to know. Assign one right per role. If a role plays two parts, use two rows. But if everyone decides, no one truly does.
Ask the people involved: Do we agree who decides? Is the right advice being gathered before the decision? Who needs to know once the decision is made? Where could this still get stuck? What would trigger escalation?
Once the decision right is clear, write it down. Then make it visible where the work happens: project plan, meeting notes, approval workflow, leadership dashboard, SOP, policy, AI governance process, or tool review process. A map that lives in a drawer does not move decisions.
The template
You can use the blank version below or download the companion worksheet if you want a cleaner working copy for your team.
Decision:
Decision type: Select or type, e.g. Strategic / AI / Risk
Context:
Timing:
Escalation trigger:
Communication method:
Role / Function
Notes
Role / Function
Notes
Role / Function
Notes
Role / Function
Notes
Role / Function
Notes
Role / Function
Notes
What each role means
This person has authority to make the final call. They listen to advice, consider input, and weigh constraints, timing, risk, and tradeoffs. But when the moment comes, they decide. Everyone else moves based on that decision.
Test: If the decision goes wrong, is this the person leadership would look to first?
This person has relevant expertise, context, or perspective. They should be asked before the decision is made. Their input matters. They may understand the financial, operational, customer, technical, legal, or people impact. But they do not have veto power unless that authority is clearly defined elsewhere.
Test: Would this decision be weaker or riskier without their input?
This person needs to know what was decided. They may need to act on it, communicate it, update a workflow, prepare a customer response, or adjust a plan. But they are not involved in making the decision.
Test: Would their work be affected if they found out too late?
Common mistakes
Escalate the decision when
What this looks like in practice
Example 1
Business / Use Case Owner
Decides
Owns use case and business outcome
IT / Systems
Advises
Advises on access, integration, and security
Legal / Compliance
Advises
Advises on regulatory, contractual, and data issues
Finance / Operations
Advises
Advises on cost, workflow, and control impact
End Users
Advises
Advise on practical workflow fit
Leadership Team
Informed
Needs visibility into approved tool use
Why this works
AI adoption is not just a tool decision. It is a workflow, data, accountability, and risk decision. The business owner decides only after the right advisors have weighed in.
Example 2
CEO / Founder
Decides
Final authority on pricing strategy
Finance / Operations
Advises
Advises on margin, cash, and delivery economics
Sales / Growth Lead
Advises
Advises on pipeline, positioning, and buyer response
Delivery Lead
Advises
Advises on capacity, scope, and delivery model
Client Success Lead
Advises
Advises on client communication and retention risk
Board / Advisor
Advises
Advises if change affects strategic direction
Why this works
Pricing is not just a finance decision. It affects sales motion, delivery capacity, client expectations, and margin. The decision owner stays clear while the right advisors shape the call before it goes live.
Example 3
Function Lead
Decides
Owns team need and role outcome
Finance
Advises
Reviews budget and cash impact
HR / People
Advises
Advises on process, market, and compensation
Operations
Advises
Advises on workflow and capacity impact
Executive Team
Informed
Needs visibility into headcount changes
Why this works
The function lead decides because they own the operating outcome. Finance, HR, and Operations advise because the decision affects budget, process, and capacity.
Example 4
Account / Client Lead
Decides
Owns client relationship and final recommendation
Finance / Operations
Advises
Advises on margin, capacity, and billing impact
Delivery Lead
Advises
Advises on timeline, staffing, and execution risk
Legal / Compliance
Advises
Advises if contract, regulatory, or liability terms are affected
Executive Sponsor
Informed
Needs visibility if decision affects strategic relationship or margin
Client Team
Informed
Needs clarity on what was approved and what changed
Why this works
The client lead owns the relationship, but the decision affects delivery, margin, timing, and risk. Advisors are consulted before the commitment is made, and the delivery team gets clear direction after the decision.
The bigger picture
The businesses that move well are not always the ones with the most information or the longest meetings. They are the ones where the decision has a clear owner, the right advisors are consulted before the call, and everyone else knows after it’s made. No follow-up chain needed to find out what happened.
That is how decisions stop circling the room and start moving through the business.
This is one of the frameworks we install when we run a Structure Read. If decision rights are unclear across your organization, that’s usually the signal that a deeper map is needed.
Download the companion worksheet and map one decision that keeps circling your team.
The strategic next step
Start with a Structure Read and see where clarity needs to be installed.