Section 03 · Build · How should the work be designed?
People
7 modules · Roles, decisions and accountability.
Part of the BUILD curriculum. Access all BUILD modules: USD 118.80. See BUILD access →
The structure grew around people, not work. Reporting lines are unclear and gaps sit between teams.
Why it mattersStructure determines who owns results. When the structure is designed around the work, accountability becomes possible, because every result has a place where it belongs. When it is designed around people, accountability becomes a matter of personal goodwill.
You leave withAn organisation chart built from the work the business must do.
Related: M19 Designing Roles · M20 Decision Rights · M59 Second-Line Leadership · M09 Diagnosing the Operating Model
Open M18 →Job titles exist, but no one can say what each role is accountable for delivering.
Why it mattersClear roles make hiring, onboarding, delegation and performance conversations considerably easier, because each of them depends on knowing what the role is for.
You leave withRole cards with outcomes, responsibilities and authority.
Related: M18 Organisation Design · M22 Accountability · M20 Decision Rights · M23 Hiring
Open M19 →Every decision waits for the founder because nobody knows what they are allowed to decide.
Why it mattersWritten decision rights allow the business to move without the founder while keeping control where it genuinely matters. The founder retains high-value, high-risk and irreversible decisions and releases the rest. This is not a loss of control. Well-designed decision rights usually increase control, because they replace an informal system in which some decisions are made without authority and others are not made at all.
You leave withAn approval matrix for your most common decisions.
Related: M21 Delegation · M08 Founder Dependency · M58 Governance · M44 Decision Systems
Illustrative teaching case: The Founder Bottleneck
Open M20 →Work is handed over, then taken back when it isn't done exactly right.
Why it mattersDelegation is the means by which a business grows beyond its founder. There is no other route. A business can hire, systematise and automate, but ultimately more people must be trusted to make more decisions. Done properly, with a clear outcome, sufficient authority, an agreed standard, appropriate support and a scheduled review, delegation builds capability. Done badly, it creates risk and confirms the founder's reluctance.
You leave withA delegation plan for three responsibilities you still hold.
Related: M20 Decision Rights · M08 Founder Dependency · M59 Second-Line Leadership · M22 Accountability
Open M21 →Targets are missed and nothing follows. Everyone is responsible, so no one is.
Why it mattersWithout accountability, strategies and plans are rarely delivered. The business may make good decisions and still fail to execute them, because no mechanism exists to ensure that decided actions are completed.
You leave withA single-owner accountability map for key results.
Related: M19 Designing Roles · M24 Performance Management · M42 Management Rhythm · M39 KPIs That Drive Decisions
Illustrative teaching case: The Family Employee Problem
Open M22 →Hires are made in a hurry, through referrals, for a role that was never defined.
Why it mattersA structured process improves the odds of a good hire and shortens the time before a new employee becomes productive. Neither benefit is guaranteed, but both are substantially more likely.
You leave withA structured hiring process for your next role.
Related: M19 Designing Roles · M18 Organisation Design · M24 Performance Management · M13 Standard Operating Procedures
Open M23 →Reviews happen once a year, if at all. Good and poor performance are treated the same.
Why it mattersRegular, fair performance management raises standards, because expectations are stated and progress is discussed. It retains good people, because their contribution is recognised. And it makes difficult decisions timely and defensible, because they rest on a documented history rather than on a sudden judgement.
You leave withA simple, regular performance conversation built on clear measures.
Related: M22 Accountability · M43 Business Performance Reviews · M19 Designing Roles · M39 KPIs That Drive Decisions
Illustrative teaching case: The Family Employee Problem
Open M24 →
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