Why Decision Making Matters
Executive teams are judged by the quality and speed of their decisions. When decisions are slow, unclear, or constantly revisited, performance suffers. Research consistently shows that decision-making quality is one of the strongest predictors of team and business success.
High-performing executive teams make decisions that are fast, clear, and widely supported.
Three Conditions for Better Decisions
1. Clarity of Roles
Teams decide faster when everyone knows who is responsible for what. The key is distinguishing between:
- Decision owners – the people accountable for making the call.
- Contributors – the people who bring insights, risks, and perspectives.
- Implementers – the people who will execute once the decision is made.
Clear roles prevent endless debate and give decision makers confidence to act.
2. Structured Meetings
Too many executive meetings blur between updates, debates, and decisions. Teams that improve decision-making use clear meeting processes:
- Decide in advance which topics require a decision.
- Separate operational updates from strategic debates.
- Ensure discussions focus on the right data and trade-offs.
Structured meetings keep decision-making focused on the issues that matter most.
3. Alignment on Priorities
Even clear roles and structured meetings fail if the team is not aligned on what matters. Alignment requires:
- A shared understanding of company goals.
- Agreement on the criteria used to evaluate options.
- Commitment to support decisions once made.
Alignment ensures decisions stick and prevents teams from reopening them later.
How to Put This Into Practice
Improving decision-making is not about more meetings. It’s about creating conditions that make decisions easier and stronger:
- Define roles before debates begin.
- Design meetings for decision-making, not just reporting.
- Build alignment on goals and criteria so decisions are durable.
When executive teams improve decision-making, they accelerate performance and reduce wasted time.
About the Author
Michael Quoia is the co-founder and partner of KSE Leadership. He has worked with more than 50 executive teams worldwide, drawing on experience as a former McKinsey consultant, Stanford MBA, and Leadership Consulting partner at Heidrick & Struggles. His work focuses on improving decision-making, alignment, and overall team effectiveness at the top of organizations.
Closing Thoughts
The Team Effectiveness Profile (TEP) highlights decision-making as one of four drivers of executive team performance, alongside assembly, alignment, and dynamics. KSE Leadership uses this framework to help executive teams raise their game, whether they are moving from good to great or tackling dysfunction.
If you are interested in how your team makes decisions today, the TEP is a six-minute assessment that gives leaders a clear picture of strengths and opportunities. Our work with more than 50 executive teams shows that improving decision-making is one of the fastest ways to increase company performance.
Frequently Asked Questions
How can executive teams make faster decisions?
Teams speed up decisions when roles are clear, meetings are structured for decision-making, and priorities are aligned. These conditions reduce debate cycles and give leaders confidence to act.
Why do leadership teams struggle to make decisions?
Decisions often stall when roles are unclear, when meetings mix updates with debates, or when the team lacks alignment on priorities. Without clarity, teams revisit the same issues repeatedly.
What are the best practices for team decision-making?
The most effective teams define roles before debates begin, design meetings specifically for decision-making, and align on company goals and criteria. These practices ensure that decisions are both faster and more durable.
What is the biggest predictor of effective team performance?
Research shows that decision-making quality is one of the strongest predictors of team and business performance. Teams that make fast, clear, and supported decisions consistently outperform peers.
How does decision-making impact company performance?
Executive teams that make timely, high-quality decisions drive growth, adapt to challenges more effectively, and reduce wasted time. Strong decision-making accelerates execution across the organization.
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