Look at the evidence
Choose an outcome the manager was expected to deliver.
List the decisions and resources needed to deliver it.
Compare their actual permissions with those requirements.
A case to think through
A manager owns project margin but cannot refuse extra scope or move resources. Their accountability exceeds their authority.
This is a hypothetical operating example, not a client result.Avoid a misleading conclusion
Asking for stronger accountability without changing the decision conditions can increase reporting while leaving the dependency untouched.
Decision independence combines a named owner with usable authority, relevant information and appropriate escalation. Look at ordinary cases as well as exceptions. Formal restrictions may be entirely appropriate; the question is whether the route is deliberate and workable rather than an invisible queue for the founder.
Your evidence check
Bring supporting and contrary examples. A self-reported answer is a starting point; these notes do not calculate or validate a score.
| Prompt | Notes from your case |
|---|---|
| Expected outcome | |
| required choice | |
| actual permission | |
| blocked result |
Should authority always match accountability exactly?
Some controls deliberately separate them. Make those dependencies explicit and ensure the role has a workable decision route.
See the wider pattern.
20 questions. An indicative, self-reported result with a five-dimension profile and an optional conversation.
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