Zone 1 Decision

D07 - Decision Rights Clarity

Definition

A decision that a team member makes and executes completely independently, with no notification required, typically routine, within established parameters, and fully within the team member's functional scope.

Without an explicit Zone 1 definition, every decision exists in an ambiguous space where team members feel uncertain whether to act or escalate, defaulting to escalation to avoid being wrong.

This ambiguity is the primary cause of unnecessary escalation load on senior leaders and slow operational decision-making.

Indicators

• Team members escalate decisions to you that you'd expect them to make independently.
• No written list exists of what decisions team members can make without notifying you.
• Decisions that you've approved identically every time they were escalated have been escalated more than twice.

Quick Win

• Ask a direct report what they'd need approval for that you'd expect them to just do.
• Write it down as your first Zone 1 item.

Assess

• Take the HQ Score Assessment

Apply

• The Decision Boundary Map

Related

• Zone 2 Decision
• Decision Rights
• Founder Transition