UNODIR - Unless Otherwise Directed

All Articles
/
Best Practices
/
Level Up
/
UNODIR - Unless Otherwise Directed
Chris Ho
January 20, 2025

Last month, my assistant sent me a WhatsApp message:

"UNODIR: Booking your flight to Singapore. Cathay Pacific business class, $7,320. Connection through Hong Kong. Completing payment end of day."

I didn't respond. I didn't need to.

The flight was booked, the trip was planned, and life moved forward – all without me having to make a single decision.

This is UNODIR ("unless otherwise directed") in action, and it's transformed how I operate.

The problem

You delegate a task.

Two days later, you wonder about its status. You send a "checking in" email. Your team member responds with questions. You clarify. They have more questions.

A week passes. You’re in the dark - nothing seems to have moved forward.

Sound familiar?

The problem isn't your team's capability – it's the invisible permission structure you've created.

Every check-in reinforces the idea that they need your blessing to move forward. You've unintentionally built a team full of people waiting for permission.

Enter UNODIR

UNODIR flips this dynamic on its head.

UNODIR (Unless Otherwise Directed) is a military and strategic decision-making principle where an individual or unit proceeds with a planned course of action unless explicitly told otherwise by higher authority.

It’s used in situations requiring both agility and initiative. Essentially it means: "I’m doing this and will continue to do so unless otherwise directed.”

Instead of asking for permission, your team informs you of actions they're taking. Unless you say stop, they keep moving forward.

Think of it like a Formula 1 pit crew. Everyone has their specific role and moves with precision. There's one person watching the whole operation, ready to halt things if something's not right – but otherwise, the crew moves at full speed.

How we use it

We've turned UNODIR into a formal system on my team. Here's exactly how it works:

1. The UNODIR channel

We created a dedicated WhatsApp channel (you could use Slack or any messaging platform) where team members post their UNODIR updates.

This creates a clean, searchable record of decisions and actions.

Your assistant can also see whether you have read their messages.

2. Clear parameters

We set specific guidelines for what qualifies as an UNODIR decision:

  • Financial decisions under $10,000
  • Day-to-day operational choices
  • Meeting scheduling and travel arrangements
  • Project timeline adjustments
  • External communications that don't involve PR or legal risks

Many high-achievers are used to spending their own time on decisions like the above, but UNODIR forces a change in perspective.

A millionaire might once have spent an hour on the phone disputing a $15 subscription fee—something they’d never consider if asked to do an hour-long consulting call for the same amount. Yet, it’s easy to fall into patterns where time is allocated in ways that don’t reflect its true value.

UNODIR takes that off the menu entirely.

3. Update frequency

Major decisions get immediate updates. Others tend to get updated every few days. This prevents information overload while maintaining transparency.

Real examples from our UNODIR channel

Here's what this looks like in practice:

"UNODIR: Alice requested event sponsorship. Connecting her with Mark to discuss partnership opportunities."

"UNODIR: Moving ahead with designer revisions on board deck. V2 ready by Friday."

"UNODIR: Declined meeting with potential vendor. Their pricing is 40% above our usual range."

Why it works

There's this incredible feeling you get as a leader when your team updates you that they're already doing something you wanted – before you had to ask.

UNODIR systematizes this behavior.

Your team knows they can move fast and that keeping you informed is enough. They don't need to fear making a wrong call because you're always just a message away from course-correcting if needed.

Implementation tips

  • Start small: Begin with low-risk decisions and gradually expand the scope as comfort and trust build.
  • Be consistent: If you start overriding too many decisions, you'll kill the initiative you're trying to build.
  • Create clear boundaries: Make it explicit which decisions need direct approval versus UNODIR updates.
  • Celebrate good judgment: When team members make smart, autonomous decisions, highlight them as examples.

Bottom line

If you're still sending your team back to the drawing board with vague feedback or making them wait for your input on every decision, you're doing it wrong.

UNODIR is your path to building a team that moves at the speed of trust.

Let’s recap 3 reasons UNODIR works:

  • Your team gains more agency. They will enjoy their jobs more.
  • You get a better check of what your assistant workload is at all times. You can see the chatter in the channel and gauge what they’ve been working on.
  • You become a better delegator. It’s more obvious when your assistants are making bad decisions or when they are on track.