Approvals exist to protect the business. But when nobody is sure who can approve what, they slow everything down, and people start looking for ways around them. Here are three changes that keep control while removing friction.
1. Publish a single delegation of authority
Put decision types, thresholds, and approvers in one short table, and make it easy to find. It should answer a simple question: for this decision, at this value, who signs off? When the answer lives in one place, requests stop bouncing between inboxes.
2. Match the route to the risk
Not every decision deserves the same scrutiny. Give low-risk, routine items a fast lane, such as pre-approved templates or a single sign-off. Save multi-person review for the decisions that are unusual, high-value, or hard to reverse.
3. Set time limits and a fallback
Agree on a target response time for each approval type, and name a backup for when someone is away. Record each decision in one place, so you can see where requests get stuck and fix the cause.
Where to begin
Choose the approval that causes the most complaints, map how it works today, and apply these three changes to that process alone. Small, visible wins build support for changing the rest.
If your approvals have become a bottleneck, book a consultation and we can help you untangle them.
This article is general information only and is not legal advice. Speak with a qualified professional about your specific situation.
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