SHOT
Consensus drives better outcomes.
CHASER
There’s truth to this, but it’s also perilous. In practice, especially in larger organizations, giving everyone a say often creates a situation where anyone can say no, but no one knows who can say yes. Good ideas get bogged down in endless meetings, cautious deliberations, and the feeling that every pet issue needs to be addressed to get anything over the line.
Instead of bold solutions that move the company forward, the exercise becomes one of delicate risk management. Innovation stalls out in a sea of half-hearted compromises and organizational gridlock.
Not every objection is a showstopper, either. But without clear decision-making authority—without someone empowered to say yes—even minor pushback can feel like a veto. That’s how good ideas die—not because they’re flawed, but because no one takes responsibility for moving them forward.
INSIGHT
Real planning requires not just clarity on the “what” but absolute clarity on the “who.” Who can say yes? Who has the authority—and the courage—to cut through the noise, take responsibility, and push forward? Without this clarity, you get a culture where vetoes are cheap, but progress is expensive.
The solution? Define decision rights up front. Make it clear who’s accountable for the final call and empower them to make it. And most importantly, create a culture where protecting turf doesn’t trump doing what’s right for the organization. Because great ideas don’t die from lack of data—they die in the quicksand of timid leadership.