What My Four-Year-Old Taught Me About Decision-Making

A number of years ago, I was shopping for new carpet for our house.

Like most adults making a significant purchase, I was focused on all the logical criteria.

 - Price.

 - Color.

 - Brand.

 - Warranty.

 - Would it match the rest of the house?

 - Was it different enough from the old carpet to justify replacing it?

I spent hours comparing samples and weighing options. At the time, my son was four years old, so naturally I asked him which one he liked best.

His evaluation process was remarkably simple.

He picked up the samples, pressed them against his face, and started feeling them. Then he announced his decision. "This one."

When I asked why, his answer was immediate:

 "Because it's the one that feels the best and the one I most want to lay on and play with my toys on."

At first, I laughed.

Then I realized something.

He was evaluating the carpet based on the reason it existed in his world.

 - Not the warranty.

 - Not the manufacturer.

 - Not the color.

 - Not the price.

The experience. The outcome. The customer (him!).

As leaders, we often make decisions using dozens of criteria. We build scorecards. We conduct lengthy analyses. We evaluate every possible variable.

And while thoughtful decision-making is important, I've often wondered how many decisions become unnecessarily complicated because we lose sight of the person we're ultimately serving.

Who is your primary customer? Really?

Not who appears on the organizational chart. Not who signs off on the budget. Not who attends the steering committee. Who actually experiences the outcome of the decision?

And if they were sitting in the room, what criteria would they use?

In strategic delivery, portfolio management, and transformation work, I see this challenge regularly.

Organizations spend months debating processes, governance models, reporting structures, and technical approaches.

Sometimes those discussions are necessary.

Sometimes we're simply optimizing around the edges while losing sight of the core question: "What creates the most value for the people we're trying to serve?"

I've also learned that speed often comes from clarity.

When everyone agrees on the most important criteria, decisions become easier.

Priorities become clearer. Trade-offs become more obvious. And organizations move faster.

My four-year-old son wasn't evaluating carpet. He was evaluating whether it would be a great place to be a kid. Sometimes the most valuable perspective in the room is the one closest to the customer.

And sometimes we overanalyze decisions when the answer is already sitting right in front of us.

I'd love to hear your thoughts:

Where do you see organizations overcomplicating decisions instead of focusing on the criteria that matter most?