Four levels

by: Anthony Demangone

Just back from NAFCU’s Management and Leadership Conference, I wanted to share a wonderful tool that John Spence shared with the class.  It is the four levels of decision making. When he went through the tool, you could see scores of people furiously scribbling down notes so they could bring it back to their office.

We’ve all seen it before. Organizations bog down because people do not know what decisions are theirs. This system erases that confusion.  Here are the four levels, in John’s own words:

Level 1 = Delegation

This is the kind of decision that I do not need to be involved in at all. You do not need to tell me about it – just make the decision completely on your own and implement it right away. You own this decision.

Level 2 = Discussion

Talk to me, or someone else in the organization, to get input, information and suggestions, but make the decision completely on your own. You also own this decision.

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