My favorite part of the 6-page memo format is when all the people in the room sit in silence for 30 minutes reading the memo. Why is this mechanism like this so powerful and effective? It applies the principles in a simple, elegant, dummy-proof format. Take the famed Amazon 6-page memo as an example of these principles in action. How the Amazon ‘6-Page Memo’ Applies the Principles Standing up committees are a very common approach to solving decision making, however without clear objectives and accountability, committees often do not serve their constituents and can even prevent progress.īeginning with a primary ‘servant leadership’ approach (i.e., the committee serves the business, not vice versa), we design committees that are guided by eight principles to help overcome these challenges.

Whether it is to determine the next large-scale investment area, or which feature to prioritize, lacking rigorous decision-making design can contribute to swirl, waste, frustration and lack of competitiveness. We do know that the most challenging innovation behavior is decision-making. Study this in your organization to get past ‘ analysis paralysis’ and design more effective decision-making moments. In some, they are made in the break room, on the golf course, social hour at church, or on the sidelines of a youth soccer game. In some they are made in the meeting after the meeting. In some organizations, decisions are made in the meeting before the meeting. Partway through the effort, he exploded in exasperation, “You’re creating meeting design when I asked for decision-making design! Why are we spending so much time figuring out meetings?!” My response was, “Where do decisions get made?” He sheepishly replied, “Meetings.”

I was once working with a client who wanted better decision making in their organization.

Decision 3 hack