[INTERNAL MEMO]
I sent this memo to my team recently because I noticed something.
I was getting a lot of questions that weren't really questions. They were half-formed problems looking for someone else to solve them.
My team was outsourcing their thinking to me. And if they were doing it to me, they were probably letting their teams do it to them.
So I sent them this:
Hey team!
I wanted to share a concept about decision-making and how we can move faster as a team.
In business, a 6-inch putt decision is one that's simplified, well thought out, and should be executed quickly without unnecessary back-and-forth.
Lately I've been getting a lot of questions or decisions that are NOT 6-inch putts, which means they require more thought, context, and problem-solving. Often that means more learning for me, and less for the person bringing the decision. You essentially outsource thinking.
That's fine, but here's the challenge: Before bringing something to me, I want you to do the work to turn it into a 6-inch putt.
I also want you to ask your direct reports to do the same.
If you do this with me, chances are you do it with your team (or allow them to do it to you).
How to Make Any Decision A 6-Inch Putt:
Get the right information - What are the key facts? What problem are we solving? What's the GOAL?
Consider your options – What are 2-3 possible solutions? What are the pros and cons of each?
Identify the risks – What could go wrong? What's the worst-case scenario?
Ask a colleague – Let them know the situation and ask for a different perspective.
Make a recommendation – If you had to decide right now, what would you do and WHY?
What This Means for You:
If a decision is already a 6-inch putt, just make the call. No need to check in with me.
If it's not a 6-inch putt yet, don't bring me an open-ended question - bring me a recommendation with the reasoning behind it.
If you still feel stuck, tell me: "Here's the situation, here are the options, and this is what I'd intend to do if I were making the call."
I trust you all and I want to empower you to make great decisions.
The goal isn't to push decisions back on me or whoever you report to - it's to train ourselves to think critically and move faster.
What this framework really does:
It forces people to think BEFORE they ask. It builds decision-making muscle at every level. It stops the pattern of upward delegation.
Because most people don't need your permission. They need your confidence.
When you make people turn their problems into 6-inch putts before bringing them to you, you're teaching them to think like owners.
And when everyone thinks like an owner, the whole company moves faster. Feel free to copy and paste this to send to YOUR team.
Have a great week 🙏🏼
-Leila
