You're not the bottleneck. Your approval process is.
When a growing team needs permission for every small decision, the business slows down in ways no dashboard can fix.
It starts innocently: “Can I offer this customer a replacement?” “Should we move that deadline?” “Is this okay to send?”
Each question takes only a moment. But the bigger cost isn't the interruption. It's a team learning that waiting for permission feels safer than using its judgement.
The fix isn't telling people to “take more ownership.” It's making ownership specific.
The categories will look different in every company. What matters is writing down a few real examples, so people aren't forced to guess where the boundaries sit.
Look at the last five approvals you gave. Put each in a lane. If three are Green, write one clear rule and give the next one back to the team.
One question to take into your next team meeting: “What are you waiting for my approval on that you could safely own?”
For demonstration only. Final client editions would use approved brand details, source material and factual review.