Delegate with control

Who this is for

Founder led lower-middle market companies with 5 to 50 million in annual revenue that want faster decisions without losing quality.

The quick answer

Define who decides what with a short decision rights chart and clear dollar thresholds. Set three company outcomes and link team goals to them. Use a weekly review of metrics and a short risk list. Step in on exceptions and coach how decisions are made, not only the result.

The method in six steps

Publish decision rights
List the ten decisions that matter most and who decides each. Add dollar thresholds for spend, pricing, and hiring.
Name three company outcomes
Revenue, margin, and customer experience are common. Tie team goals to these so trade offs align.
Build a simple scorecard
A few metrics per team with owners and targets.
Run a weekly review
Review the scorecard and a short risk list. Confirm owners and dates for fixes.
Use exception paths
Write when to escalate. For example large discounts or material service risks.
Coach the process
After tough calls, review the assumptions and options the manager used. Teach the pattern, not just the fix.

Example

A founder set a decision chart and a weekly scorecard. Managers handled more pricing decisions inside thresholds. Speed improved and margin held.

Pitfalls and fixes

Charts that are too long. Keep it to the vital few decisions.
Reviews with no actions. End with owners and dates.
Escalations that skip steps. Write the path and follow it.

Checklist

Decision rights with thresholds
Three outcomes with team links
Weekly scorecard and risk list
Exception path
Coaching loop