Separate Advice from Decision Power
Added 2026-11-03
Say who advises and who decides before the discussion starts.
Our team is discussing an issue (context below). Clarify the decision structure: 1) name three roles — people who advise, people affected, the person who decides; 2) point out where the current discussion confuses them; 3) draft an opening line stating who decides today; 4) say what to do if the decision maker is absent; 5) warn me where advice most easily gets heard as a decision.
Site original
Chinese original
How to use
很多会议开不完，是因为没先说清谁拍板。
Try tweaking it
- Ask what evidence would overturn the judgement.
- Have it argue both sides with three reasons each.
What you should get
- A decision table: assumptions, evidence, counter-evidence
- A next action with an observable signal
Common mistakes
- Asking only "should I?" and getting equally valid answers both ways.
- Never asking for counter-examples, so you only hear support.
How to check the output
- It states what evidence would overturn the conclusion.
- Both sides are argued, with assumptions marked as such.
Where it works
- Good for: splitting a decision into assumptions, evidence and counter-cases, leaving the call to you.
- Watch out: ask what evidence would overturn the judgement, or you will only hear supporting reasons.