I think this kind of approach, and I've used it in the past, only works in American companies or bosses who are familiar with the American way of business. It can backfire badly if the boss doesn't like it. During a performance review, the boss inevitably labels you as insubordinate and all of the evidence needed was handed to them on a platter. Sometimes asking for permission really is the best way, even in the US. Doubly so where resources are concerned.
There are a lot of variety in non-American ways of doing business. E.g. in Scandinavian cultures management can be very hands-off, with workers largely assumed to make a lot of decisions independenly or among themselves.
I don't think I've ever worked for a boss who would have disliked this approach, and I had many (good and bad). Assuming of course what you're doing isn't idiotic. All of them were steeped in American culture, though.
Honestly it's not my boss I worry about, more like a sibling team or service client that would have a stake in the decision but is known to drag their feet.
This would have worked fine in a Scandinavian company where managers are expected to delegate (some/most) technical responsibility. If boss was off, and couldn’t react in time, their eventual reaction would depend entirely on the outcome. If you were successful, they’ll appreciate that you didn’t hold up the decision by asking them.
Works fine in my British company that is almost as old as America, it’s called “out of office”. If they aren’t in the decisions are delegated to someone else.
