05-07-2026IMPACT COUNCIL

Why high-growth companies should build decision cultures

As AI accelerates the pace of business, organizations need to move decisions closer to those with intimate knowledge.

[Photo: Getty Images]

The Fast Company Impact Council is an invitation-only membership community of top leaders and experts who pay dues for access to peer learning, thought leadership, and more.

At the Exceptional Women Alliance, we help senior women leaders mentor one another through shared insight. As founder, chair, and CEO, I speak with executives shaping how organizations evolve and perform.

This month, I spoke with Jennifer Renaud, CEO of Kradle LLC and a board director with more than 30 years experience in digital innovation, commercial strategy, and customer-centered growth. She has guided companies through operating model transformation and post-integration growth.

As artificial intelligence becomes embedded across organizations, Renaud believes companies must rethink how decisions are made. Traditional hierarchies, designed for stability and control, often slow organizations when speed and adaptability matter most.

Here are highlights from our discussion.

Q: How are traditional decision hierarchies becoming less effective?

Jennifer Renaud: Hierarchies were built for predictability. They worked when markets moved slowly and information traveled through limited channels. Today, customer expectations shift quickly, competitive advantages disappear faster, and organizations are expected to respond almost immediately.

Many companies........

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