Indecision is more expensive than the wrong decision

The wrong decision costs you a quarter, but deferred decisions compound quietly while every workstream stays green.

"We'll come back to that next steering."

Three meetings ago.

Nothing has gone wrong. The program is "on track." Every workstream is green.

But three contested decisions have been deferred for a month each. The team isn't blocked. It's quietly waiting for permission.

The integrator burns. The BA who built the options paper has moved on to other work. The sponsor's political capital ticks down with every steering committee where the same item rolls forward. The team starts to lose belief.

Indecision is more expensive than the wrong decision.

The wrong decision costs you a quarter. Indecision compounds.

What's the decision your program has been waiting on for more than two weeks?

That's where the money is leaking.

ALSO IN THE REGISTER

Entry 1022 SEP 2026The steering committee meets every fortnightA steering committee that receives decisions as updates is not governing, and the fix starts with five lines on the paper.2 MIN
Entry 0919 SEP 2026The operating model comes after the system (it never does)A programme cannot skip the operating model, it can only skip designing it.2 MIN