Dawson Schrader

Dawson's Vault

Knowledge Base

10 Commandments of Decision Making

Updated 2/9/2026

10 Commandments of Decision Making

Referenced from 3D Decision Making (N26.01 p.42)

Starred

  • Someone must make the final call
  • Have firm resolve for tough decisions
  • 36 hours of pain beats months of avoidance
  • The issue you fear most needs solving most

1. Thou Shalt Not Rule by Consensus

On a healthy team, 8 out of 10 times everyone will agree. But sometimes they won't — someone needs to make the final call. That someone is the leader.

  • Consensus management doesn't work, period
  • As long as voices have been heard and the team is healthy, they can live with it
  • Always present a united front moving forward

2. Thou Shalt Not Be a Weenie

The solution is often simple. It's just not always easy.

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You must have:

  • Strong will
  • Firm resolve
  • Willingness to make the tough decision

3. Thou Shalt Be Decisive

From Napoleon Hill's Think & Grow Rich (study of 25,000 failures):

  • Lack of decision/procrastination = major cause of failure
  • Analysis of millionaires: every one reached decisions promptly and changed them slowly

It's less important what you decide than it is that you decide... so, decide!

4. Thou Shalt Not Rely on Secondhand Information

You can't solve an issue involving multiple people without all parties present.

  • If the issue involves more than the people in the room → schedule a "pow-wow"
  • Pull everyone involved together and solve it

5. Thou Shalt Fight for the Greater Good

Put aside:

  • Egos
  • Titles
  • Emotions
  • Past beliefs

Focus on the vision for your organization. You'll cut through the candy-coating, personalities, and politics.

6. Thou Shalt Not Try to Solve Them All

Take issues one at a time, in order of priority.

  • What counts isn't quantity but quality
  • Solve the most important one first, then move to the next
  • Some issues will drop off — they were symptoms of the real issue you solved

7. Thou Shalt Live with It, End It, or Change It

Three options — no others:

| Option | When to Use | |--------|-------------| | Live with it | Last resort — stop complaining | | Change it | If you can no longer live with it | | End it | If you can no longer live with it |

8. Thou Shalt Choose Short-Term Pain and Suffering

"36 Hours of Pain"

Both long-term and short-term pain involve suffering. You have a choice.

Example: Keeping someone around a year too long because termination felt painful.

  • Months of anguish leading up to the decision
  • After letting them go: "one of the best decisions for the greater good"
  • Could have experienced only 36 hours of pain instead of a year

The fear of doing it is worse than actually doing it. Choose short-term suffering.

9. Thou Shalt Enter the Danger

The issue you fear the most is the one you most need to discuss and resolve.

In tough times, people freeze:

  • Fear activates the amygdala (primal brain, fight-or-flight)
  • Doesn't serve you well for business problems

Shift to prefrontal cortex (rational/critical thinking):

  • List all worries, problems, concerns, fears
  • Do this individually (Clarity Break) or as leadership team
  • Being open and honest enables you to confront and solve critical issues

10. Thou Shalt Take a Shot

Propose a solution. Don't wait for someone else.

  • If you're wrong, your team will let you know
  • Discussions drag on because everyone is afraid to voice a solution
  • Often the quietest person has the answer at the tip of their tongue

Don't be afraid to take a shot. Yours might be the good idea.

Summary

| # | Commandment | Core Message | |---|-------------|--------------| | 1 | Not Rule by Consensus | Leader makes final call | | 2 | Not Be a Weenie | Have firm resolve | | 3 | Be Decisive | Decide now, change slowly | | 4 | Not Rely on Secondhand Info | Get all parties in the room | | 5 | Fight for the Greater Good | Put ego aside | | 6 | Not Solve Them All | One at a time, priority order | | 7 | Live/End/Change It | Only 3 options | | 8 | Choose Short-Term Pain | 36 hours > 12 months | | 9 | Enter the Danger | Face what you fear | | 10 | Take a Shot | Propose a solution |

Source: Gino Wickman, EOS Worldwide See also: Decide! e-book