Decision Making Diagnostic
dataset:
title: "Decision-Making Diagnostic & Intervention Mapping
version: "1.1"
intent: >
AI-usable dataset to diagnose why decisions stall and recommend prioritised, well-sequenced
tactics with weighted effectiveness (H/M/L) in highly charged, high-value situations.
strength_scale:
H: "High — directly mitigates the mechanism of the cause (heuristic)"
M: "Medium — helpful but usually insufficient alone (heuristic)"
L: "Low — supportive/secondary/context-dependent (heuristic)"
global_sequencing_rules:
- id: R0
rule: "Start with decision hygiene before escalation"
guidance: >
Begin with low-risk stabilisers (Role Clarity, No Surprises, Create agency, Framing,
Data Packs, Offer Choices) before escalation tactics (e.g., Social Proof, Leader of the Pack).
- id: R1
rule: "Stabilise threat/agency first"
guidance: >
If fear, low psychological safety, loss of agency, or surprise is present, stabilise first.
Avoid tactics that can feel like pressure until safety and agency improve.
- id: R2
rule: "Clarify mandate before debating"
guidance: >
If delegated authority, upward delegation, or unclear signal chain is present, prioritise
Role Clarity plus coalition-building outside the forum (then confirm inside).
- id: R3
rule: "Reduce cognitive load before increasing complexity"
guidance: >
If cognitive capacity or competing priorities dominate, simplify (Data Packs, Criteria Map),
chunk (Reduce Risk), and use time to allow processing before pushing for closure.
- id: R4
rule: "Fix the forum when process pathologies dominate"
guidance: >
If the forum is stuck (passivity, conflict avoidance, triviality, polarisation, habit),
redesign the ritual (Build Better Habits / Fresh Start Effect / Remove Bloat) rather than
persuading harder.
groups:
A:
name: "Threat & Emotion"
purpose: "Reduce felt risk and defensiveness; restore safety, agency, and readiness."
B:
name: "Authority, Accountability & Signal Chain"
purpose: "Clarify mandate, ownership, and aircover; reduce exposure-driven delay."
C:
name: "Cognitive Load, Bandwidth & Timing"
purpose: "Lower processing burden; create time/structure for deeper thinking."
D:
name: "Tribal & Social Dynamics"
purpose: "Work with coalitions, influence lines, and socially acceptable behaviour."
E:
name: "Identity, Status & Investment Protection"
purpose: "Manage defensiveness linked to reputation, ego, and sunk investment."
F:
name: "Inertia & Process Pathologies"
purpose: "Address dysfunction in the forum: passivity, avoidance habits, triviality, polarisation."
# -------------------------------------------------------
# TACTICS DIRECTORY (definitions + misuse controls)
# -------------------------------------------------------
tactics_directory:
guidance:
- "Tactics are defined to reduce ambiguity and misinterpretation by AI tools."
- "Each tactic includes intent, mechanism, best_for, misuse_risk, avoid_when, and watch_outs."
- "misuse_risk is about likelihood of harm/backfire if applied at the wrong time or in the wrong tone."
tactics:
- name: "Reduce Risk"
type: "situational"
intent: "Make a high-risk decision feel manageable."
mechanism: "Break a big decision into smaller decisions that feel less risky."
best_for: ["Fear", "Status Quo", "Cognitive Capacity", "High perceived risk decisions"]
misuse_risk: "medium"
avoid_when:
- "When fragmentation creates unclear ownership or no path to the final decision."
- "When the group uses chunking as an excuse to never reconverge."
watch_outs:
- "Keep a clear decision path and decision owner for the final integrated decision."
- name: "Role Clarity"
type: "core_ritual"
intent: "Clarify who decides, who advises, and who is present for awareness."
mechanism: "Explicitly define decision makers vs non-decision makers; use RASCI where helpful."
best_for: ["Delegated Authority", "Upward Delegation", "Bystanders", "Passive Participation"]
misuse_risk: "medium"
avoid_when:
- "When introduced late without care and it will be experienced as exclusion or power-play."
watch_outs:
- "Set norms early; if changing roles later, frame it as improving decision quality, not demoting people."
- name: "Create agency"
type: "core_ritual"
intent: "Prevent defensiveness caused by coerced commitment."
mechanism: "Use open language and maintain flexibility; avoid forcing a public ‘yes’ too early."
best_for: ["Loss of agency", "Polarization", "Fear", "Expectation Mismatch"]
misuse_risk: "low"
avoid_when:
- "When flexibility becomes ambiguity and people cannot tell what is being decided."
watch_outs:
- "Keep outcomes and next steps explicit even while language stays non-coercive."
- name: "Pre-briefing"
type: "situational"
intent: "Reduce surprises and surface concerns before the decision forum."
mechanism: "Speak with decision makers in advance; avoid one-way briefing; avoid ‘negotiating in the round’ drift."
best_for: ["Expectation Mismatch", "Political position", "Fragile coalitions", "High-stakes decisions"]
misuse_risk: "medium"
avoid_when:
- "When pre-briefing becomes sequential bargaining that changes the proposal unpredictably."
- "When it creates unfair influence for early participants over later ones."
watch_outs:
- "Keep pre-briefing two-way; track changes to avoid surprises for early contributors."
- name: "One style does not fit all"
type: "core_ritual"
intent: "Reduce perceived risk by meeting different decision-maker preferences."
mechanism: "Adapt interactions, communications and style to decision makers’ needs and preferences."
best_for: ["Cognitive Capacity", "Mixed stakeholder groups", "Fear", "Ego and Status"]
misuse_risk: "low"
avoid_when:
- "When adaptation causes inconsistent messages across stakeholders."
watch_outs:
- "Maintain consistent core narrative; tailor format and emphasis, not the underlying truth."
- name: "Data Packs"
type: "core_ritual"
intent: "Create an even playing field and reduce defensiveness from pre-reads."
mechanism: "Use data packs instead of pre-reads; do not assume they were read; allow short reading time at the start if needed."
best_for: ["Cognitive Capacity", "Homework", "Data delay tactic", "Expectation Mismatch"]
misuse_risk: "low"
avoid_when:
- "When packs become overwhelming and create cognitive overload."
watch_outs:
- "Keep packs decision-relevant; highlight key findings and trade-offs."
- name: "Use time tactically"
type: "situational"
intent: "Allow processing time so risk feels manageable."
mechanism: "Brief on one day and decide 2–3 days later to allow deeper processing; normalise this in timelines."
best_for: ["Cognitive Capacity", "Fear", "Polarization", "High-risk decisions"]
misuse_risk: "medium"
avoid_when:
- "When time is being used as indefinite avoidance rather than processing."
watch_outs:
- "Set a clear decision moment; separate ‘processing time’ from ‘stalling time’."
- name: "Framing"
type: "core_ritual"
intent: "Shape the decision environment to reduce threat and increase readiness."
mechanism: "Use framing/priming/anchoring; set expectations early; repeat language consistently."
best_for: ["Emotional not Rational", "Fear", "Expectation Mismatch", "Ego and Status", "Status Quo"]
misuse_risk: "medium"
avoid_when:
- "When framing is used as ‘spin’ and undermines trust."
watch_outs:
- "Framing should reduce surprises and clarify trade-offs; keep it authentic."
- name: "Tribal Map"
type: "core_ritual"
intent: "Navigate influence, trust lines, factions and constraints."
mechanism: "Map lines of influence, who trusts whom, and who can constrain; assess stakeholder perceptions regularly."
best_for: ["Political position", "Herd Mentality", "Frozen Middle", "Group Congruence"]
misuse_risk: "medium"
avoid_when:
- "When used cynically to manipulate rather than understand and respect constraints."
watch_outs:
- "Treat as confidential; use to build trust routes and reduce risk, not to ‘game’ people."
- name: "Remove Bloat"
type: "situational"
intent: "Reduce distortion caused by non-decision-makers."
mechanism: "Create a separate decision-making forum when meetings are bloated with bystanders."
best_for: ["Bystanders", "Price of Stamps", "Passive Participation", "Habitual postponement"]
misuse_risk: "high"
avoid_when:
- "When removing attendees without clarity will trigger political backlash or loss of trust."
watch_outs:
- "Pair with Role Clarity and No Surprises; explain why the forum is changing."
- name: "No Surprises"
type: "core_ritual"
intent: "Reduce threat response triggered by surprise or sudden shifts."
mechanism: "Inform decision makers of micro-decisions and changes so direction shifts do not surprise them."
best_for: ["Delegated Authority", "Expectation Mismatch", "Fear", "Psychological Safety"]
misuse_risk: "low"
avoid_when:
- "When ‘no surprises’ turns into excessive noise and fatigue."
watch_outs:
- "Signal meaningful shifts and decision-relevant changes; keep communication crisp."
- name: "Build Better Habits"
type: "core_ritual"
intent: "Create repeatable decision rituals that work with human emotion."
mechanism: "Create a recognisable process and ritual; engineer start/end routines; meeting leader sets norms intentionally."
best_for: ["Habit", "Passive Participation", "Psychological Safety", "Conflict avoidance"]
misuse_risk: "medium"
avoid_when:
- "When rituals are imposed without explaining purpose and benefits."
watch_outs:
- "Establish early; if changing entrenched rituals, combine with Fresh Start Effect."
- name: "Offer Choices"
type: "core_ritual"
intent: "Reduce defensiveness and polarisation; restore agency."
mechanism: "Offer choices (three optimal); avoid polarising yes/no; avoid too many options (choice overload)."
best_for: ["Loss of agency", "Polarization", "Fear", "Herd Mentality"]
misuse_risk: "low"
avoid_when:
- "When choices are fake or not meaningfully different."
watch_outs:
- "Make options comparable and explicit about consequences/trade-offs."
- name: "Act like an Equal"
type: "core_ritual"
intent: "Position as trusted advisor rather than subordinate."
mechanism: "Act like their equal to build credibility; subservient positioning is hard to reset."
best_for: ["Ego and Status", "Low trust in presenters", "Power dynamics"]
misuse_risk: "medium"
avoid_when:
- "When ‘equal’ is misread as confrontational or disrespectful."
watch_outs:
- "Signal calm authority, respect and confidence; avoid status games."
- name: "Normalise Risk"
type: "core_ritual"
intent: "Lower perfection pressure and enable trade-off decisions."
mechanism: "Normalise that decisions are trade-offs (‘least worst’); perfection is not expected; highlight trade-offs."
best_for: ["Fear", "Status Quo", "Sunk Cost", "Emotional not Rational"]
misuse_risk: "medium"
avoid_when:
- "When it is used to minimise real consequences or accountability."
watch_outs:
- "Be explicit about trade-offs and mitigations; normalise imperfection, not negligence."
- name: "Leader of the Pack"
type: "situational"
intent: "Break perceived deadlock using a credible influential decision maker."
mechanism: "A respected influential decision maker legitimises the decision; can backfire if seen as pressuring or not credible."
best_for: ["Herd Mentality", "Deadlock", "High uncertainty in the group"]
misuse_risk: "high"
avoid_when:
- "When psychological safety is low and it will feel like coercion."
- "When the ‘leader’ lacks respect/credibility or has an undeclared agenda."
- "When the group is not ready and needs openness to persuade."
watch_outs:
- "Use with care; credibility and timing determine whether it helps or harms."
- name: "Social Proof"
type: "situational"
intent: "Reduce perceived risk by showing trusted support."
mechanism: "Use surveys, quotes, stories and trusted cheerleaders to reassure decision makers."
best_for: ["Herd Mentality", "Fear", "Ego and Status"]
misuse_risk: "high"
avoid_when:
- "When agency is low and it will feel like pressure or stacking the deck."
- "When trust in the messenger is weak and proof will be dismissed."
watch_outs:
- "Stabilise agency first; ensure proof is authentic and relevant."
- name: "Practice conflict"
type: "situational"
intent: "Build constructive conflict capability before it matters."
mechanism: "Use scenarios to practise disagreement without judgement; may use voting or weighting criteria to surface disagreement safely."
best_for: ["Conflict avoidance", "Psychological Safety", "Group Congruence"]
misuse_risk: "medium"
avoid_when:
- "When the group is highly unsafe and the exercise would expose people to judgement."
watch_outs:
- "Start early where possible; otherwise use structured methods that reduce personal threat."
- name: "Criteria Map"
type: "core_ritual"
intent: "Create shared decision logic and reduce political redefinition at the last moment."
mechanism: "Define decision criteria early; ask decision makers to weight criteria; build a trade-off mental model before risk is high."
best_for: ["Conflict avoidance", "Political position", "Herd Mentality", "Cognitive Capacity"]
misuse_risk: "medium"
avoid_when:
- "When introduced near the decision and likely to be politically manipulated."
watch_outs:
- "Set thresholds and weights early; revisit only with explicit rationale."
- name: "Forgiveness, not Permission"
type: "situational"
intent: "Prevent unnecessary upward delegation and build trust through informed autonomy."
mechanism: "Decide within your sphere; inform stakeholders of smaller decisions to build comfort and avoid an upward-delegation habit."
best_for: ["Upward Delegation", "Frozen Middle", "Delegated Authority (where mandate exists)"]
misuse_risk: "high"
avoid_when:
- "When the decision is truly outside mandate or creates compliance/legal risk."
watch_outs:
- "Use judgement; keep stakeholders informed to avoid surprises and loss of trust."
- name: "Build a coalition"
type: "situational"
intent: "Create decision confidence across factions before the forum."
mechanism: "Build confidence one-by-one outside the decision event; two-way conversation; reflect what matters to them; prompt readiness to act."
best_for: ["Political position", "Delegated Authority", "Frozen Middle", "Polite Yes"]
misuse_risk: "medium"
avoid_when:
- "When used as a one-way briefing that creates hidden dissent."
watch_outs:
- "Listen deeply; incorporate what matters; avoid drift that creates surprises."
- name: "Trusted delegation"
type: "situational"
intent: "Borrow judgement via trusted relationships."
mechanism: "Use trusted allies whose agreement acts as a proxy for others’ risk processing."
best_for: ["Delegated Authority", "Frozen Middle", "Political position", "Group Congruence"]
misuse_risk: "medium"
avoid_when:
- "When it will be perceived as stacking influence rather than building trust."
watch_outs:
- "Use credible, respected allies; keep intent transparent."
- name: "Language use"
type: "core_ritual"
intent: "Rebalance narrative so decisiveness becomes normalised."
mechanism: "Celebrate decisions and constructive conflict as evidence of good behaviour; rewrite the story that decisions are not made."
best_for: ["Habit", "Passive Participation", "Psychological Safety", "Conflict avoidance"]
misuse_risk: "low"
avoid_when:
- "When celebration feels like declaring victory over a divided group."
watch_outs:
- "Celebrate process (openness, holding tension) as well as outcomes."
- name: "Fresh Start Effect"
type: "situational"
intent: "Reset stuck forums with entrenched rituals."
mechanism: "Change forum identity (rename, shift membership, reduce to key decision makers); embed new rituals early."
best_for: ["Habit", "Passive Participation", "Entrenched avoidance patterns"]
misuse_risk: "medium"
avoid_when:
- "When used as a superficial rename without new rituals and norms."
watch_outs:
- "A fresh start requires intentional new rituals early, or the old patterns return."
# -------------------------------------------------------
# TACTICS REGISTRY (thin index)
# -------------------------------------------------------
tactics_registry:
core_rituals:
- "Role Clarity"
- "Create agency"
- "Data Packs"
- "No Surprises"
- "Framing"
- "Offer Choices"
- "Criteria Map"
- "Tribal Map"
- "Build Better Habits"
- "Language use"
- "Act like an Equal"
- "Normalise Risk"
situational_tactics:
- "Reduce Risk"
- "Pre-briefing"
- "One style does not fit all"
- "Use time tactically"
- "Remove Bloat"
- "Leader of the Pack"
- "Social Proof"
- "Practice conflict"
- "Forgiveness, not Permission"
- "Build a coalition"
- "Trusted delegation"
- "Fresh Start Effect"
# -------------------------------------------------------
# ROOT CAUSE DIRECTORY (group + sequencing + full mapping)
# -------------------------------------------------------
root_cause_directory:
- id: RC01
name: "Emotional not Rational"
group: A
description: "Decisions stall due to emotional reactions; rational arguments may be used later to justify the emotional position."
recommended_sequence:
- { tactic: "No Surprises", strength: H }
- { tactic: "Framing", strength: H }
- { tactic: "Normalise Risk", strength: H }
- { tactic: "Offer Choices", strength: M }
- { tactic: "Use time tactically", strength: M }
- { tactic: "Build a coalition", strength: M }
avoid_early: ["Leader of the Pack", "Social Proof"]
tactic_map:
"No Surprises": H
"Framing": H
"Normalise Risk": H
"Offer Choices": M
"Use time tactically": M
"Build a coalition": M
"Data Packs": L
"Criteria Map": L
- id: RC02
name: "Fear"
group: A
description: "Fear of being wrong, judged, losing safety/status/relationships paralyses decision making."
recommended_sequence:
- { tactic: "Reduce Risk", strength: H }
- { tactic: "Normalise Risk", strength: H }
- { tactic: "No Surprises", strength: H }
- { tactic: "Offer Choices", strength: M }
- { tactic: "Use time tactically", strength: M }
- { tactic: "Build a coalition", strength: M }
avoid_early: ["Leader of the Pack", "Social Proof"]
tactic_map:
"Reduce Risk": H
"Normalise Risk": H
"No Surprises": H
"Offer Choices": M
"Use time tactically": M
"Build a coalition": M
"Framing": M
"Social Proof": L
- id: RC03
name: "Psychological Safety"
group: A
description: "Low psychological safety reduces risk-taking and makes dissent costly; higher-risk decisions need higher safety/trust."
recommended_sequence:
- { tactic: "Build Better Habits", strength: H }
- { tactic: "Practice conflict", strength: H }
- { tactic: "Role Clarity", strength: M }
- { tactic: "Language use", strength: M }
- { tactic: "Build a coalition", strength: M }
avoid_early: ["Leader of the Pack"]
tactic_map:
"Build Better Habits": H
"Practice conflict": H
"Role Clarity": M
"Language use": M
"Build a coalition": M
"No Surprises": M
"Criteria Map": M
"Social Proof": L
- id: RC04
name: "Delegated Authority"
group: B
description: "A decision maker representing a boss/function/team fears how the decision will be judged, increasing perceived risk."
recommended_sequence:
- { tactic: "Role Clarity", strength: H }
- { tactic: "Build a coalition", strength: H }
- { tactic: "No Surprises", strength: H }
- { tactic: "Tribal Map", strength: M }
- { tactic: "Trusted delegation", strength: M }
- { tactic: "Reduce Risk", strength: M }
avoid_early: ["Social Proof"]
tactic_map:
"Role Clarity": H
"Build a coalition": H
"No Surprises": H
"Tribal Map": M
"Trusted delegation": M
"Reduce Risk": M
"Use time tactically": L
- id: RC05
name: "Loss of agency"
group: A
description: "When people feel control is being taken away or pushed into public commitment, resistance appears as dissent or delay."
recommended_sequence:
- { tactic: "Create agency", strength: H }
- { tactic: "Offer Choices", strength: H }
- { tactic: "No Surprises", strength: M }
- { tactic: "Use time tactically", strength: M }
- { tactic: "Framing", strength: M }
avoid_early: ["Leader of the Pack", "Social Proof"]
tactic_map:
"Create agency": H
"Offer Choices": H
"No Surprises": M
"Use time tactically": M
"Framing": M
"Role Clarity": L
"Build a coalition": L
- id: RC06
name: "Cognitive Capacity"
group: C
description: "Complexity plus low cognitive bandwidth makes decisions feel far riskier; low trust can amplify perceived risk."
recommended_sequence:
- { tactic: "Data Packs", strength: H }
- { tactic: "Use time tactically", strength: H }
- { tactic: "Criteria Map", strength: M }
- { tactic: "Reduce Risk", strength: M }
- { tactic: "Offer Choices", strength: M }
- { tactic: "One style does not fit all", strength: M }
avoid_early: []
tactic_map:
"Data Packs": H
"Use time tactically": H
"Criteria Map": M
"Reduce Risk": M
"Offer Choices": M
"One style does not fit all": M
"No Surprises": M
"Framing": L
- id: RC07
name: "Competing Priorities"
group: C
description: "Decisions are triaged away due to constrained capacity; 'right decision, wrong time' often masks overload."
recommended_sequence:
- { tactic: "Use time tactically", strength: M }
- { tactic: "Reduce Risk", strength: M }
- { tactic: "Role Clarity", strength: M }
- { tactic: "Build a coalition", strength: M }
- { tactic: "Data Packs", strength: L }
avoid_early: []
tactic_map:
"Use time tactically": M
"Reduce Risk": M
"Role Clarity": M
"Build a coalition": M
"Data Packs": L
"Framing": L
- id: RC08
name: "Political position"
group: D
description: "Hidden boundaries and constraints protect teams/functions; some parties may veto options threatening controls/resources."
recommended_sequence:
- { tactic: "Tribal Map", strength: H }
- { tactic: "Build a coalition", strength: H }
- { tactic: "Trusted delegation", strength: M }
- { tactic: "Criteria Map", strength: M }
- { tactic: "Role Clarity", strength: M }
avoid_early: []
tactic_map:
"Tribal Map": H
"Build a coalition": H
"Trusted delegation": M
"Criteria Map": M
"Role Clarity": M
"Framing": L
- id: RC09
name: "Ego and Status"
group: E
description: "Decisions that threaten identity, credibility or status trigger defensive objections protecting what is valued."
recommended_sequence:
- { tactic: "Act like an Equal", strength: H }
- { tactic: "Framing", strength: H }
- { tactic: "Build a coalition", strength: M }
- { tactic: "Social Proof", strength: M }
- { tactic: "Criteria Map", strength: M }
avoid_early: []
tactic_map:
"Act like an Equal": H
"Framing": H
"Build a coalition": M
"Social Proof": M
"Criteria Map": M
"No Surprises": L
- id: RC10
name: "Sunk Cost"
group: E
description: "People defend prior investments of time/energy; defensiveness can shape tone and willingness to change course."
recommended_sequence:
- { tactic: "Normalise Risk", strength: H }
- { tactic: "Framing", strength: M }
- { tactic: "Reduce Risk", strength: M }
- { tactic: "Criteria Map", strength: M }
avoid_early: []
tactic_map:
"Normalise Risk": H
"Framing": M
"Reduce Risk": M
"Criteria Map": M
"Build a coalition": L
- id: RC11
name: "Herd Mentality"
group: D
description: "Decision makers avoid standing out; uncertainty creates paralysis until influential figures signal a safe stance."
recommended_sequence:
- { tactic: "Social Proof", strength: H }
- { tactic: "Criteria Map", strength: M }
- { tactic: "Build a coalition", strength: M }
- { tactic: "Leader of the Pack", strength: M }
- { tactic: "Tribal Map", strength: M }
avoid_early: ["Leader of the Pack"]
tactic_map:
"Social Proof": H
"Criteria Map": M
"Build a coalition": M
"Leader of the Pack": M
"Tribal Map": M
"Offer Choices": M
- id: RC12
name: "Group Congruence"
group: D
description: "Decision speed correlates with trust/respect between factions; low trust stalls decisions, especially in new scenarios."
recommended_sequence:
- { tactic: "Build a coalition", strength: H }
- { tactic: "Practice conflict", strength: H }
- { tactic: "Tribal Map", strength: M }
- { tactic: "Trusted delegation", strength: M }
- { tactic: "Criteria Map", strength: M }
avoid_early: []
tactic_map:
"Build a coalition": H
"Practice conflict": H
"Tribal Map": M
"Trusted delegation": M
"Criteria Map": M
"Build Better Habits": L
- id: RC13
name: "Upward Delegation"
group: B
description: "Early decisions are passed upward due to uncertainty; if leaders decide, a habit forms and disempowers others."
recommended_sequence:
- { tactic: "Role Clarity", strength: H }
- { tactic: "Forgiveness, not Permission", strength: H }
- { tactic: "No Surprises", strength: M }
- { tactic: "Build Better Habits", strength: M }
avoid_early: []
tactic_map:
"Role Clarity": H
"Forgiveness, not Permission": H
"No Surprises": M
"Build Better Habits": M
"Tribal Map": L
- id: RC14
name: "Frozen Middle"
group: B
description: "People delay when Boss/Boss2 signals are unclear and they need aircover to take risk."
recommended_sequence:
- { tactic: "Build a coalition", strength: H }
- { tactic: "Tribal Map", strength: M }
- { tactic: "Trusted delegation", strength: M }
- { tactic: "Role Clarity", strength: M }
- { tactic: "No Surprises", strength: M }
avoid_early: []
tactic_map:
"Build a coalition": H
"Tribal Map": M
"Trusted delegation": M
"Role Clarity": M
"No Surprises": M
"Use time tactically": L
- id: RC15
name: "Expectation Mismatch"
group: A
description: "Surprises disrupt expectations, reduce trust in presenters, and trigger emotional resistance and delay."
recommended_sequence:
- { tactic: "Pre-briefing", strength: H }
- { tactic: "No Surprises", strength: H }
- { tactic: "Data Packs", strength: M }
- { tactic: "Framing", strength: M }
- { tactic: "Use time tactically", strength: M }
avoid_early: ["Leader of the Pack", "Social Proof"]
tactic_map:
"Pre-briefing": H
"No Surprises": H
"Data Packs": M
"Framing": M
"Use time tactically": M
"Build a coalition": L
- id: RC16
name: "Passive Participation"
group: F
description: "Decision makers are normalised to passivity; they see their role as advisory, not owning decisions and risk."
recommended_sequence:
- { tactic: "Role Clarity", strength: H }
- { tactic: "Build Better Habits", strength: H }
- { tactic: "Language use", strength: M }
- { tactic: "Remove Bloat", strength: M }
avoid_early: []
tactic_map:
"Role Clarity": H
"Build Better Habits": H
"Language use": M
"Remove Bloat": M
"Practice conflict": L
- id: RC17
name: "Habit"
group: F
description: "Recycling/postponing decisions becomes normalised behaviour; the group becomes complicit because delay reduces perceived risk."
recommended_sequence:
- { tactic: "Build Better Habits", strength: H }
- { tactic: "Fresh Start Effect", strength: M }
- { tactic: "Role Clarity", strength: M }
- { tactic: "Reduce Risk", strength: M }
- { tactic: "Language use", strength: M }
avoid_early: []
tactic_map:
"Build Better Habits": H
"Fresh Start Effect": M
"Role Clarity": M
"Reduce Risk": M
"Language use": M
"Remove Bloat": L
- id: RC18
name: "Conflict avoidance"
group: F
description: "Avoiding public disagreement leads to decisions being quietly discounted and eroded; practising conflict early builds capability."
recommended_sequence:
- { tactic: "Practice conflict", strength: H }
- { tactic: "Criteria Map", strength: M }
- { tactic: "Build Better Habits", strength: M }
- { tactic: "Role Clarity", strength: M }
avoid_early: []
tactic_map:
"Practice conflict": H
"Criteria Map": M
"Build Better Habits": M
"Role Clarity": M
"Offer Choices": L
- id: RC19
name: "Status Quo"
group: F
description: "The current state feels safe and predictable; inertia strengthens when risk is high or capacity is depleted."
recommended_sequence:
- { tactic: "Normalise Risk", strength: H }
- { tactic: "Reduce Risk", strength: M }
- { tactic: "Framing", strength: M }
- { tactic: "Offer Choices", strength: M }
- { tactic: "Use time tactically", strength: L }
avoid_early: []
tactic_map:
"Normalise Risk": H
"Reduce Risk": M
"Framing": M
"Offer Choices": M
"Use time tactically": L
"Build a coalition": L
- id: RC20
name: "Homework"
group: F
description: "Information asymmetry (some have the information, others do not) creates superiority/disadvantage dynamics that split the room."
recommended_sequence:
- { tactic: "Data Packs", strength: H }
- { tactic: "Use time tactically", strength: M }
- { tactic: "No Surprises", strength: M }
- { tactic: "Role Clarity", strength: L }
avoid_early: []
tactic_map:
"Data Packs": H
"Use time tactically": M
"No Surprises": M
"Role Clarity": L
"Framing": L
- id: RC21
name: "Polite Yes"
group: F
description: "Public agreement avoids conflict but privately people may not intend to support the decision."
recommended_sequence:
- { tactic: "Build a coalition", strength: H }
- { tactic: "Role Clarity", strength: M }
- { tactic: "Criteria Map", strength: M }
- { tactic: "Language use", strength: M }
avoid_early: []
tactic_map:
"Build a coalition": H
"Role Clarity": M
"Criteria Map": M
"Language use": M
"Social Proof": L
"No Surprises": L
- id: RC22
name: "Price of Stamps"
group: F
description: "Focus on trivial details signals insufficient trust/safety/coalition to engage with the real decision; a practical avoidance behaviour."
recommended_sequence:
- { tactic: "Criteria Map", strength: M }
- { tactic: "Remove Bloat", strength: M }
- { tactic: "Practice conflict", strength: M }
- { tactic: "Build a coalition", strength: M }
- { tactic: "Build Better Habits", strength: M }
avoid_early: []
tactic_map:
"Criteria Map": M
"Remove Bloat": M
"Practice conflict": M
"Build a coalition": M
"Build Better Habits": M
"No Surprises": L
- id: RC23
name: "Polarization"
group: F
description: "Forcing binary choices before people are ready creates identity-based positions and defensiveness; hard to unwind."
recommended_sequence:
- { tactic: "Offer Choices", strength: H }
- { tactic: "Create agency", strength: M }
- { tactic: "Use time tactically", strength: M }
- { tactic: "Practice conflict", strength: M }
- { tactic: "Framing", strength: L }
avoid_early: ["Leader of the Pack", "Social Proof"]
tactic_map:
"Offer Choices": H
"Create agency": M
"Use time tactically": M
"Practice conflict": M
"Framing": L
"Criteria Map": L
- id: RC24
name: "Bystanders"
group: D
description: "Non-decision-makers present in meetings can exert disproportionate influence simply by being present; attendance can become habitual."
recommended_sequence:
- { tactic: "Remove Bloat", strength: H }
- { tactic: "Role Clarity", strength: H }
- { tactic: "Build Better Habits", strength: M }
- { tactic: "Fresh Start Effect", strength: L }
avoid_early: []
tactic_map:
"Remove Bloat": H
"Role Clarity": H
"Build Better Habits": M
"Fresh Start Effect": L
"Tribal Map": L
