War-game a delegation framework before managers and ICs invent competing definitions of ownership in the same week.
Delegation frameworks fail when authority and accountability diverge, when escalation paths are optional in practice, when "autonomy" hides missing context, and when the same decision is owned by three titles and none. A clean RACI slide is not evidence that the next hard call will land with one named person and a clear appeal path.
Freeze the framework
State the decisions in scope, who can decide alone, who must consult, who must approve, and the escalation clock. Attach the draft matrix, example decisions from the last quarter, and the org chart that will live under it. If the framework mixes hiring, spend, and product calls without separate rules, split them. A war game needs one move under fire at a time.
Write the decision you will make if the war game finds nothing new. Also write the delay criteria if a material decision type still lacks a named owner.
Seats that matter
- Manager. Where the matrix forces delay, dual ownership, or quiet overrides.
- IC or operator. Where autonomy is promised without the context or access to act.
- Cross-team partner. Where handoffs stall because both sides think the other decides.
- Finance or risk. Spend, compliance, or safety decisions the matrix under-specifies.
- Skeptic. The claim that looks strongest and is least evidenced by past decisions.
Attach the same source pack to every seat. Secret exceptions for leadership only create fake calm.
Loop the review
Feed Pingpong the matrix and recent decision samples. First pass steelmans the framework. Later passes attack from manager, IC, partner, and risk seats. Final pass turns surviving objections into clearer owners, clocks, or a hold. Agreement across passes is not proof. Keep the objections that still have evidence gaps.
Force a week-after narrative: what happens if two managers claim the same hire, if a spend decision bypasses the matrix, or if an IC ships without the consult list. If those stories are stronger than your mitigation plan, fix the package before rollout. When the framework announces a new autonomy level, force manager and IC seats to invent the FAQ you will need within a week. If you cannot answer with the same facts as the matrix, the package is not ready.
Pair with war-game a reorg, war-game a support escalation ladder, war-game an OKRs reset, pretend you are the COO, and the war-game decisions hub. See how to run a Pingpong.