Role roulette: Why vague jobs are costing you millions–and how to solve it

In my decades advising ultra–high-net-worth families and Fortune 500 CEOs, I’ve seen organizations teeter on the edge of collapse simply because nobody knew who owned which decision.

This is a common phenomenon not just in family enterprises—where blurred lines between “family” and “business” amplify confusion—but in almost every organization, from medium-sized enterprises to multi-billion conglomerates.

When roles and decision rights aren’t crystal clear, chaos seeps in. Here’s why role clarity is your business’s lifeline—and how to establish it before it’s too late.

Accountability starts with clarity

A client example: I am sitting in a board meeting of a third generation family business that generates several hundred million dollars in profits. The owner, who is also the CEO, asked me to step in and professionalize the business and make it future-proof plus pivot the core business, which has been printing money but the music is slowly starting to fade.

Witnessing the board meeting alone, it becomes clear to me that some of the board members have vague roles. When new projects or strategic initiatives are assigned, the CEO delegates in a way that it is not 100 percent clear who does what and is ultimately accountable.

Accountability starts with clarity. No matter how many people are involved to get a job or project done, to get an outcome accomplished, to get a product to market, and so on, only one person has to be finally accountable. Not two. Not three. One.

Clarity breeds focus. Focus builds success. Leaders need to explain things in terms people can understand. Clarity is the basis of execution.

Are you playing the teflon game?

Otherwise you have what I call the “teflon game.” If there is shared accountability, people will of course deflect and say they are not to blame. It is the other person (board member, colleague, etc). It is the teflon game.

You could also call it the “hot potato”—the ultimate responsibility is passed around like a hot potato. Nobody wants to hold it.

This happens way more often than you might think. It is an extremely common disease in business. What is the root cause?

Clear accountability requires more work, attention and clarity on the side of whoever gives the order. Vagueness and ambiguity in delegation is easier. Fuzziness costs less focus and is less demanding.

To give very clear instructions about what exactly it is that you want to accomplish, by whom, by when and be 100 percent clear about the successful outcome is a practice that requires discipline, some training, and focus.

If leaders are tired, overworked, want to rush things, or are not trained in this art of clear role clarity, they will not do it.

Hidden cost of ambiguity

When responsibilities overlap or fall through the cracks, three critical issues emerge:

Delayed decisions.
 With nobody empowered to sign off on key initiatives, projects stall.

A $20-million plant expansion I advised on in Europe hit roadblocks for six months because the finance director assumed the COO had final say—and vice versa.

Every week of delay cost the company nearly $100,000 in lost revenue.

Duplicated efforts and waste.
 Two marketing teams at a US–based family-owned consumer-goods firm independently crafted rival digital campaigns, each believing it owned “online strategy.”

Both spent substantial budgets—yet neither’s KPIs aligned. Only after an external audit did the owner realize they’d wasted over $500,000 in creative and media costs.

Eroded accountability.
 When outcomes go sideways, finger-pointing becomes routine.

In a growing software company I coached, a critical product-launch failure triggered a blame game: the product manager said “I needed budget approval;” the finance lead said “You never sent a request.” Meanwhile, customers abandoned the platform.

Anatomy of a family enterprise meltdown

Family businesses face especially unique pressures. Blood ties can obscure professional boundaries:

The “Patriarch Knows Best” trap. In one Middle Eastern conglomerate, the founder assigned roles to three siblings—but never documented them.

When he unexpectedly passed away, each sibling believed their informal understanding held sway. Within weeks, top executives wrested decision rights, siphoning off assets and triggering protracted court battles.

Power by proximity.
 A Brazilian family business entrusted its heir apparent with “everything operations,” though the board charter never specified limits.

Over time, senior nonfamily executives bypassed formal processes by colluding directly with the heir, undermining standard checks and balances. When conflict erupted, revenue fell by 12 percent.

The “Just Do It” bypass.
 Family members often sidestep formal structures: “I’ll handle this myself,” says the founder’s daughter, overriding HR and finance because “I trust my gut.”

Recognizing the symptoms

Regardless of industry, look for these warning signs:

• Frequent “Who Owns This?” questions in meetings
• Missed KPIs because nobody tracks or reports
• Budget overruns from uncoordinated spending
• Senior leadership frustration over “walking on eggshells” to avoid stepping on toes
• High turnover in middle management—role confusion breeds burnout

If these sound familiar, your organization is on the brink of a silent rebellion.

RACI framework: A proven remedy

Here is a simple yet powerful tool for role clarity: the RACI matrix:

R for “Responsible:” Who does the work.

A for “Accountable:” Who signs off and owns the outcome

C for “Consulted:” Who provides input and expertise.

I for “Informed:” Who needs to be updated on progress and decisions.

If you are at the top, the most important letter for you is the “A.” The better your people, the more they should figure out the other letters by themselves.

Implementing clarity step by step

Map your core processes. Identify 5-8 critical workflows—e.g., budgeting, M&A due diligence, talent acquisition.

Facilitate a RACI workshop.
 Gather stakeholders for each process and assign RACI roles. Capture debates and document final assignments.

Integrate into governance documents.
 Update your operating manual, board charter, and role descriptions. Ensure they live in a central repository.

Five to thrive: Ensuring roles remain crystal clear

Executive sponsorship.
 Secure the CEO’s commitment. Role clarity must be a top-down priority.

Transparent org charts.
 Publish an interactive, up-to-date chart accessible to all employees. Nothing hidden, nothing assumed.

Decision rights audit.
 Annually survey up to 20 senior leaders: “Where do you see overlaps?” Use feedback to refine RACI.

External advisor review.
 Engage a neutral third party every 18 months—family firms especially benefit from outside perspective to challenge ingrained assumptions.

Role–performance link.
 Tie performance evaluations and incentives directly to one’s R & A assignments. When people know they’ll be judged by clear metrics, they embrace clarity rather than resist it.