Decisions Aren’t All Equal: Master the Two Types for Speed and Safety

Carmen, a young team leader, was stuck in a cycle of endless debates at her tech startup. Every decision—from where to hold meetings to whether to pivot product strategy—became a group affair, draining time and morale. One late Thursday, over lukewarm pizza slices, someone asked, 'Do we really need a two-hour debate on changing the Slack channel theme?' Carmen began researching decision frameworks and stumbled on the concept of 'one-way' vs. 'two-way' doors: some choices were big and nearly impossible to reverse, others could be undone with minimal pain.

The next week, she shared this new approach with her team: 'Let’s only gather everyone for irreversible decisions—say, if we’re merging teams or killing a product. But for tweaks we can reverse in a day? Let’s empower someone to just try it.' At first, old habits crept in and some team members felt nervous about moving fast. But after a month, decisions sped up, productivity soared, and resentment over wasted meetings dropped. The team’s rhythm improved, and weekends felt less stressful. One member even commented, 'Honestly, half our old meetings could’ve just been emails.'

Organizational psychologists have found that treating all choices the same way—slow, group-heavy, and consensus-driven—destroys speed and innovation. By classifying decisions, leaders can focus scarce attention and caution where it matters, freeing individuals to act and learn faster when risks are low.

Next time a decision looms, briefly label it as a one-way or two-way door. If it’s a big, irreversible move, bring your team or family together, gather input, and take your time. But for the small or reversible stuff, let yourself—or a trusted peer—try it quickly with permission to adjust course if needed. You may find that this simple step turns slow, exhausting routines into a faster, more energizing environment. Start today by delegating (or claiming) one two-way-door decision and notice how much lighter it feels.