Authority map template

Compare understandings of who decides, who contributes, and who needs to know when an issue arises.

Adaptable workbook
Editable Excel
Free for boards and their staff

When this helps

The same authority questions keep returning to the board table.

A decision may stall because directors, committees, and the CEO hold different assumptions about who can make it. This editable map puts those assumptions alongside the organization’s actual delegations so the gaps can be discussed and settled.

What’s inside

Make the boundaries easier to talk about.

01
The decisions that need clarity
Start with recurring choices, then name their scope and the role or body responsible for deciding.
02
Contributions and boundaries
Separate preparing a recommendation from approving it, and record who is consulted, informed, or asked to review.
03
Open questions and agreements
Keep the authority source, limits, follow-up owner, and agreement status visible as the map develops.

Putting it to work

Compare understandings before drawing the map.

Choose decisions people recognize
Start with recurring choices that have caused uncertainty, delay, or repeated discussion.
Put the assumptions side by side
Ask the chair and chief executive who they believe decides, contributes, and needs to know. Notice where their answers differ.
Check and agree the boundaries
Test the proposed map against governing documents and delegations. Keep unresolved points visible until they are settled.

Download the template

Give the authority conversation something concrete.

Use the editable workbook to compare views and record the agreements your organization can rely on.

A practical starting point for your board
Free for boards and their staff