In their Harvard Business Review article, “Who has the D? How Clear Decisions Enhance Organizational Performance,” the authors—Paul Rogers and Marcia Blenko—make the following point.
“Making good decisions and making them happen quickly are the hallmarks of high-performing organizations. When we surveyed executives at 350 global companies about their organizational effectiveness, only 15% said that they have an organization that helps the business outperform competitors. What sets those top performers apart is the quality, speed, and execution of their decision making.”
And this is why high-performing companies care about something called ROLE CONFUSION.
What is Role Confusion?
Broadly, it means that people are unsure about what they are allowed or authorized to do and unclear about the expectations for their work—it can also mean that they are unclear about what other people are expected to do. This kind of ambiguity has been researched for about 50 years—and the findings are clear: role confusion leads to poor morale, higher turnover, and poor performance.
Does your company or team suffer from role confusion? Well, no one comes to work in the morning complaining that “we have role confusion around here” so that isn’t what will tip you off to the problem. Conflict within the team is one symptom, but so is a general lackluster performance standard or a “who cares?” attitude. Clients with role confusion tell me that “it takes forever to make a decision around here.”
Is your team suffering from Role Confusion? Download the “Role Confusion” questionnaire using the button below to find out. If you do have these problems, using the RACI language can help you address these issues and create a more competitive, high-performance organization. 
RACI Solutions has been helping organizations across the globe utilize the power of RACI to transform the dynamic of cross-functional teams since 2007. Whether you are new to RACI or have used it for years, we can help.
Today’s business environment is complex – you may be contending with matrix structures, rapid growth, mergers, multiple locations, virtual employees, and/or digital transformation.
As a result, project teams can get stuck. Let us help you! If you need to learn RACI, we offer train-the-trainer materials and custom workshops. We can help you create RACI super-users. If you already use RACI or another decision matrix, we offer programs that help you become skilled at working across functions – an effective horizontal leader. We help project teams tune up their performance. We help organizations streamline their decision-making.
Our team is comprised of expert consultants, trainers, and facilitators, who can help your teams and their leaders achieve a seamless level of collaboration.
