BACK OF HOUSE — With two hundred salads waiting at the pass, banquet captain Rosa received an instruction to serve immediately. She then received six instructions not to, each from someone claiming final authority.

The planner wanted the speech to finish. The client wanted dinner before the speech. A board member wanted the speech during dinner. The chef wanted to know whether anyone remembered the salad was food.

Rosa asked the seven decision-makers to nominate one person to speak to her. They nominated themselves. She referred them to the agreed service plan and called the floor team, who had already cleared the route.

The salad went out. Every person in charge later credited their decisive leadership. Rosa returned to the kitchen, where the actual chain of command had moved on to the entrée without holding a panel.