Crafting tomorrow: From lap to leap

By Cyrus Asgarian, Viktoriya Bondarets, Fabian Huhle and Jann Oetken

In today's fast-paced business landscape, decision speed is no longer a luxury - it's a competitive necessity. In our latest report from the Crafting Tomorrow series, we explore why fast, smart decisions are a defining trait of next-generation organizations.

Many organizations today are held back by slow, fragmented decision-making - a critical vulnerability in a world that rewards speed and agility. Our research shows that leaders lose up to 60% of their decision-making time to inefficiencies - time that top-performing companies are using to act boldly and decisively. Fast, confident decisions are becoming a key differentiator, yet many organizations remain stuck in slow, complex processes that drain agility and momentum. When speed defines success, companies that can't decide quickly are at risk of falling behind.

What’s getting in the way? The biggest culprits are complex organizational structures , siloed decision ownership, and excessive bureaucracy. As decisions move through layers of hierarchy and unclear processes, communication breaks down and action stalls. Even more damaging is a culture of hesitation - where fear of making the wrong call, consensus overload, or upward delegation paralyze progress. From C-suite to business units, decision bottlenecks are everywhere. To stay competitive, organizations must confront these structural and cultural barriers head-on and unlock faster, smarter decision-making at every level.

Driving smarter, faster decision-making

Our latest report identifies three key success factors that set high-performing organizations apart:

1. Clear decision principles: Formalizing decision-making processes boosts both speed and quality, especially when guided by consistent, organization-wide principles.
2. Data & AI-driven insights: Leveraging real-time data and AI reduces guesswork and accelerates smarter, evidence-based choices - something 35% of top performers already do.
3. Lean governance: Streamlined approval processes and fit-for-purpose governance models help eliminate bottlenecks and improve agility.

To make this work, companies must also foster a culture of trust, empower the right people to decide, and tailor governance to the complexity of each decision. With the right structures, tools, and mindset, fast decision-making becomes a strategic capability - not a lucky exception.

For a deeper dive into these strategies and practical guidance, download the full publication below.

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