Who must be in the room?
A large team does not necessarily lead to a decision. The issue is not the number, but the right people.
A decision is only valid when the authorized person finalizes it in the room. Without that person, the meeting only makes recommendations, not decisions. In addition to the decision-maker, there needs to be someone who holds the necessary data and someone who will implement it directly, as true consensus comes from those doing the work, not outsiders imposing it.
- Major strategic decision: the founder or CEO must be present.
- Decision involves multiple departments: the new department head is influential.
- Professional decision: the person with the important expectation is more significant than the one with a high position.
- Every title should replace actual authority.
- to allow someone with authority to decide on the budget
A crowded meeting room can still end without any decisions being made. The reason is often not a lack of opinions, but a lack of the right people. Before Sinh Vũ sits down with any client, the first question is always: who will sign off on the final decision according to the true authority of this organization?
Three groups must be present
Not everyone needs to be in the room, but if any of the three groups are missing, the session will only yield recommendations, not decisions.
- The decision-maker: This is not necessarily the highest-ranking person on the business card. This is the person whom everyone in the organization implicitly waits for before moving forward. If that person is absent, the meeting results still need their approval. Invite them into the room from the beginning, do not invite them in later to "confirm."
- Data holder. Decisions are made based on information, not on emotions. Whoever holds the numbers, context, and history that the decision must reference must be present. Without them, the discussion will revolve around assumptions.
- Executor. This is the group that is often overlooked. Those who are informed of the results rather than involved from the beginning often do not feel ownership of the decision. True consensus comes from those who will execute, not from outsiders imposing it.
Define roles clearly from the start.
The DACI framework (a popular decision-making role framework developed by Atlassian, not the only rule) divides participants into four groups: Approver (the decision-maker), Driver (the process leader), Contributor (the information provider), and Informed (those who are informed later).
What matters is to clearly announce roles at the beginning of the meeting. If someone in the room does not know whether they are in the role of Contributor or Approver, they will either remain silent when they need to speak up or argue unnecessarily. Both scenarios waste time.
Clearly state the authority level of the team at the beginning of the meeting so that no one has incorrect expectations about their role being to finalize or just provide input.
Lucid Meetings, The Leader's Guide for Making Decisions in Meetings.
When to choose AI in the room
Make major strategic decisions (brand positioning, portfolio structure, business model changes): the founder or CEO must be present. No delegation can replace this in these meetings, as long-term direction must come from the highest responsible person.
Interdepartmental decisions (process changes, resource reallocation, new product launches): heads of each affected department need to be present. If one department is missing, that department will not feel bound by the decision.
Purely technical decisions (choosing suppliers, approving designs, technical decisions): the person with the most relevant data is more important than the one with the higher position. Inviting superiors just to "look good" often slows down the process without adding value.
Common mistakes that waste the session
- Inviting by title rather than true authority. A room full of directors, but no one is recognized as the final decision-maker on the topic at hand. As a result, everyone talks among themselves, and no one dares to make a decision.
- Forget to invite the executor. After making a decision and assigning tasks, the executor may respond, "I can't do this because..." and the entire process has to be redone. If they had been in the room from the start, that issue would have been addressed in time.
- To allow the person with veto power to be absent. This is the least discussed risk. Some organizations have individuals who do not hold an official role, yet all decisions must go through them. If that person is absent, decisions made can still be overturned later.
How Sinh Vũ prepares the list
Before each working session, Sinh Vũ conducts a brief interview with the founder and a few key members to clarify three questions: what decision needs to be made, who has the final signing authority in that organization, and who must be present for that decision to be executed.
Sinh Vũ coordinates neutrally in the room, while the authority to finalize decisions always belongs to the client's team. Sinh Vũ does not impose outcomes but creates conditions for decisions to be made by the right people, at the right time, with all necessary information.
If you are unsure who needs to be in the upcoming meeting, start with the simplest question: "If this person is absent, can we still finalize?" If the answer is no, they need to be present.
Decision checklist
Topic: Who must be in the room to make valuable decisions. Sinh Vũ guide, sinhvu.com
Select each item you find appropriate, then print or save as PDF to take with you.
If you have marked most of the signs above, this is the time to discuss in more detail. Sinh Vũ can help you review and propose a direction.
References
DACI: A Decision-Making Framework, Atlassian Team Playbook. Sam Kaner, Facilitator's Guide to Participatory Decision-Making (Jossey-Bass/Wiley). The Leader's Guide for Making Decisions in Meetings, Lucid Meetings.
Frequently asked questions
If the highest authority is busy, can they delegate to someone else?
It is possible, but you must provide clear written authorization or a public declaration before the meeting, so that the authorized person feels empowered to make decisions rather than just taking notes. If the authorization is unclear, no one in the room will dare to make the final decision, and the results will still have to wait for the absent person's approval.
Does the executor need to be in the room or just be informed afterward?
You need to be present in the room if they will be directly affected by that decision. Those who are informed after the fact, rather than being involved from the beginning, often tend to resist subtly or try to adjust the decision during execution. Only inform them after the decision is beyond their influence, or when confidentiality requires it.
How many people are just right for the room?
There is no standard number for every organization. The principle is to invite enough people to make decisions, not to invite extras just to fill seats. Sinh Vũ often suggests that clients ask themselves: if this person is absent, can the meeting still reach a real decision? If the answer is yes, they can be informed later.