Decision Checklist

Determining whether to undertake this task

• Will completing this task bring about change?
• If this task is ignored, what will ultimately happen?
• If this activity had not been done before, would it still be started now?
• Does what is being done waste other people's time?
• Have tasks that occupy time without producing results been eliminated?

Determining whether I am the right person to complete this task

• What contribution does the organization expect from me?
• What minimum necessary conditions must be met to solve this problem?
• Does the action plan comply with regulations and organizational policies?
• What results can I commit to delivering?
• How should time be spent?
• What is the deadline for delivering results?
• What items need to be checked in the future?
• What possible corrective plans might be needed in the future?

• Do opportunities exist?
• Are the best-performing individuals matched with the best opportunities?
• Am I being driven by pressure and overlooking opportunities visible from an outside perspective?

• Is a decision that requires every step to be error-free actually feasible?
• Are there multiple options for the current decision to avoid a binary choice?
• If the other party's position is valid and rational, what did they see that led them to propose this option?
• If the other party's position is valid and rational, what factors have they overlooked?
• Is it possible to weigh risks across the various options?