---
id: "framework-raci-meeting-execution"
type: "framework"
source_timestamps: ["§ Mistake 3", "§ Becoming an Octopus Organization"]
tags: ["meeting-design", "process", "execution"]
related: ["concept-flat-mode", "action-restrict-meeting-attendance"]
steps: ["Preparation: Create materials summarizing information gathered from Consulted and Informed roles.", "Attendance Restriction: Ensure only the Accountable person and the 2-4 Responsible people are in the room.", "Clarification (5 mins): The Accountable person kicks off the meeting and clarifies the specific decision at hand.", "\\\"Debate in Flat Mode (20 mins): The Accountable person levels the hierarchy", "and the team debates options and shares input as equals.\\\"", "Final Call (5 mins): The Accountable person shifts out of flat mode and makes the final decision integrating the insights.", "\\\"Communication: After the meeting", "the Accountable person explains the decision to the Consulted and Informed roles.\\\""]
speakers: ["Lindy Greer", "Jennifer Jordan", "Maxim Sytch"]
sources: ["governance"]
sourceVaultSlug: "hbr-seg-governance"
originDay: 7
articleStem: "hbr-sig-48-decision-rights"
sourceUrl: "https://hbr.org/2026/07/what-companies-get-wrong-about-decision-rights"
sourceTitle: "What Companies Get Wrong About Decision Rights"
---
# RACI Meeting Execution Process

A structured protocol for running decision meetings strictly aligned with RACI roles — ensuring efficiency and preventing oversized, unproductive gatherings. The signature moves are attendance restriction ([[action-restrict-meeting-attendance]]) and [[concept-flat-mode]].

**Sequence:**

1. **Preparation** — create materials summarizing information gathered from the Consulted and Informed roles.
2. **Attendance restriction** — only the Accountable person and the **2–4 Responsible people** are in the room (see [[action-limit-responsible-role]]).
3. **Clarification (~5 min)** — the Accountable person kicks off and clarifies the specific decision at hand.
4. **Debate in flat mode (~20 min)** — the Accountable person levels the hierarchy; the team debates options and shares input as equals.
5. **Final call (~5 min)** — the Accountable person shifts *out* of flat mode and makes the integrating decision.
6. **Communication** — afterward, the Accountable person explains the decision to the Consulted and Informed roles.

Keeping the room small is the counter-intuitive route to buy-in argued in [[contrarian-inclusion-reduces-buy-in]]. This protocol is the operating rhythm of the 'octopus organization' — many empowered arms acting semi-autonomously under a single clarifying brain.


## Related across articles
- [[framework-reaching-true-agreement]]
- [[framework-autonomous-scrum]]