Decisions, Once Removed
This concept describes a leadership practice where, instead of answering a specific question, you create a clear rule that lets others answer similar questions next time. You replace one-off approvals with reusable guidance. The effect is compounding. Bottlenecks shrink, teams act faster, and leaders focus on high-value choices.
How It Works in Practice
A team asks, “Can we comp extra tickets for teachers?” Rather than decide case by case, leadership defines a rule: “Up to 20 comps per event may be offered to educators at the program lead’s discretion if capacity exceeds 85% by T-24 hours.” Next time, no approval is needed. The decision has been moved once removed.
A Step-by-Step Playbook
- Map recurring decisions
List frequent asks across programming, communications, partnerships, staffing, and budgets. Note volume, risk, and impact of those questions. - Choose what to remove
Keep high-impact, irreversible, or reputational decisions. Remove routine, reversible, time-sensitive decisions that slow delivery. - Write guardrails
Convert answers into short rules with thresholds, roles, and time bounds. State intent, criteria, and limits on authority. - Assign decision rights
Designate who decides, who must be consulted, and who is informed. Keep the decider as close as possible to the work. - Embed the rules
Publish a living “decision book” in the tools your teams use. Index by topic. Make it easy to find and apply. - Create feedback loops
Review a small set of metrics monthly. Track cycle time, exceptions escalated, and outcomes. Adjust rules that are unclear. - Escalate the exceptions
When a case falls outside guardrails, leadership decides once and updates the rule so it will not recur. - Retire stale rules
Sunset rules that no longer serve strategy. Add start and review dates to prevent drift.
Why It Matters for Cultural Leaders
Arts organizations often centralize approvals to protect quality and brand. This slows programming, burns out leaders, and frustrates teams. Moving decisions once removed preserves standards while increasing speed and ownership. It also creates institutional memory. New hires learn how to decide, not just whom to ask.
Case Evidence
Netflix and freedom with guardrails
Leaders define clear principles on risk, spending, and responsibility. Teams decide within those boundaries without waiting for executive sign-off. Creativity scales because the rulebook is explicit and trusted.
National Theatre London and distributed programming
Associate directors and curators shape seasons within agreed frames on mission, diversity, and audience goals. Leadership steers direction. Teams move fast on content and partnerships.
OSESP São Paulo and shared repertoire planning
Committees of musicians and administrators propose repertoire and outreach under criteria set by leadership. Strategic aims stay intact. Execution accelerates and buy-in increases.
Risks and How to Avoid Them
- Ambiguity
Vague rules create hesitation. Write criteria in plain language with thresholds and examples. - Over-delegation
Leaders who disengage lose coherence. Keep a small set of decisions at the center and review metrics routinely. - Rule sprawl
Too many rules re-create bureaucracy. Consolidate, prune, and keep the decision book short. - Culture misfit
If trust is low, rules will not be used. Pair the system with coaching and visible executive support.
Strategic Takeaways for Leaders
- Decide once at the right altitude by turning recurring approvals into clear, public rules.
- Keep guardrails tight and visible so teams act fast without guesswork.
- Measure cycle time and exceptions to learn where rules need refinement.
- Protect leadership focus for vision, partnerships, and irreversible choices.
- Treat the decision book as living and update it as strategy and context evolve.
Leading at the Right Altitude
Decisions once removed are not about leaders stepping away. They are about leaders stepping up to design systems that sustain creativity, empower teams, and protect focus on the highest-value work. For cultural enterprises, this framework offers a path to stronger governance and more resilient organizations.
