How I Think About Decisions
At this week's team meeting, DJ asked me how I think about decisions. It's a great question because one of the most common sources of organizational frustration isn't bad decisions. It's unpredictable decisions. When teams can't anticipate how their leader will approach new situations, they waste energy trying to read tea leaves instead of focusing on solutions.
That's why I want to share the decision-making frameworks I use. Not so you can predict every choice I'll make, but so you can understand the consistent logic behind those choices and contribute more effectively to the process.
And I think this response will be a bit better than what I gave in real time as I've thought about it more.
The Framework: Three Questions Every Decision Should Answer
Before making any significant decision, I work through three questions in order:
1. Does this serve students better, and what evidence supports that belief?
This is always the first filter. If a choice doesn't clearly benefit the students and families we serve (either directly or by strengthening our ability to serve them) we need a compelling reason to move forward. But impact isn't just about good intentions; it's about evidence. This question keeps us focused on what actually works rather than what we hope works.
2. Does this strengthen our capabilities and make our work more effective?
Great student outcomes require both strong organizational systems and staff who can focus on what they do best: building relationships and helping students succeed. This filter ensures changes either build new capacity or reduce the administrative hassles that get in the way of great work.
3. Can we execute this well with our current resources?
The best idea that we can't implement effectively is still a bad decision. This filter ensures we're being realistic about timing, capacity, and capabilities while pushing ourselves to think creatively about resource allocation.
When Decisions Get Complex
Simple decisions move through these three questions quickly. But complex decisions require additional considerations:
One-door vs. two-door decisions: I'm more willing to experiment with two-door decisions that can be easily changed than with one-door choices that lock us into long-term commitments. For two-door decisions, I'll often choose "good enough now" over "perfect later."
Speed vs. consensus: Some decisions need broad input before moving forward. Others need to be made quickly to maintain momentum. I default toward gathering input when the decision significantly affects how you do your work, and toward speed when delays create bigger problems than imperfect initial choices.
Gathering Input Along the Way
I'm constantly trying to understand what you know and what you're experiencing. You'll see me sending surveys, attending your meetings, or asking about specific challenges you're facing - not because a particular decision is coming up, but because I want to build my understanding continuously.
When decisions do arise, I'm not starting from scratch or making choices in a vacuum. I already have insights about what's working, what's frustrating, and what you're seeing from your vantage point.
This approach means the decisions I make are informed by ongoing conversations rather than last-minute consultations.
What This Means for Your Role
Understanding these frameworks helps you contribute more effectively:
When bringing me decisions: Frame issues in terms of student impact, capability building, and execution requirements. This helps me process your recommendations faster and ensures we're considering the same factors.
When you disagree with a decision: Help me understand which of the three questions you think needs different consideration. This makes disagreement constructive rather than just resistance to change.
The Point of All of This
Predictable decision-making doesn't mean predictable outcomes. It means predictable processes. When you understand how I approach choices, you can focus your energy on contributing to solutions rather than trying to figure out what I'm thinking.
The transformation we're building requires decisions that serve students, sustain our people, strengthen our capabilities, and can be executed well. That's the standard every choice needs to meet.
And when we all understand that standard, we can hold each other accountable to it.
Questions about how these frameworks apply to specific situations you're facing? I want to hear them. Decision-making gets better when it's a conversation, not a monologue.
