"The 1-2 Option Rule:" How to Deliver Clarity, not Clutter

In today’s collaborative, fast-paced work environment, clear communication is EVERYTHING when it comes to decision-making.

?? Think of HOW MANY decisions you have to make in a day. And how many of them involve needing feedback or answers from others in order to move things forward. (It's a lot!)

You need a client to decide on final project scope.

You need your boss to decide which projects take priority on today's docket.

You need to figure out where to go for dinner with your friends on Friday.

The BIGGEST obstacle to efficient decision making? Over-optioning.

??Over-optioning - when we pose too many options to others, such that they have a hard time sifting through and quickly coming to a concrete solution.

Yes, over-optioning is a waste of time and energy. But there's a reason we do it. We think it "proves" our thoroughness. (Spoiler: it doesn’t ??). That’s where the "1-2 Option Rule" comes in. The rule is simple...

When posing a decision to others, NEVER offer more than 2 options. If you can lay out the options in a single breath (or without using more than one comma when writing), share the 2 options.

Otherwise, pick the one option you recommend and simply ask: Do you agree?

? It works EVERY TIME. ?

This approach keeps communication streamlined, helps your team avoid decision fatigue, and keeps everyone focused on solutions instead of being overwhelmed by too many choices.

?? And I will be the first to admit that I used to be the QUEEN of over-optioning. Here's my favorite example. #memories

?? Back when I was a grad student at the 密西根大学 working with one of my research teams ( Marlyse Baptista Susan Gelman Danielle Labotka , Rawan Bonais) I distinctly remember one crisp, fall morning in Ann Arbor. ?? I was in a meeting with my team when we realized we needed to modify our project timeline, which would require a change in schedule to be approved by the lab coordinator.

?? I offered to send out the email requesting the schedule change right then and there, hoping we'd get an answer by the end of the meeting so we could plan our next steps. (So far so good!)

It should have been a simple task, but I over-optioned the HELL out of the email. I spent SO much time trying to lay out every possible option and contingency.

You know the kind of email I'm talking about.

"I know the schedule is tight and changes aren't always easy to accommodate...We have to modify our schedule...I see several options...If those don't work, we can also try...." And it went on and on and on...

After about 5 minutes, Dr. Gelman finally asked me, "Emily, are you still writing that email?"

CAUGHT. ?? I felt my face instinctively flush.

That’s when I realized I was overcomplicating things. I was over-optioning! ??

I was busy laying out 5 options (4 of which I hated and knew WOULDN'T have helped us move our project forward efficiently), when ALL I really needed to do was say what we really wanted: “Can you accommodate this schedule change?” If the answer was no, then I could have moved on to a backup option. ??

Bottom line: you don’t need to present EVERY possible option—just present the 1?? or 2?? you want. And if those aren't viable, move on to the next best choice.

Now that I work in industry, particularly doing client-facing agency work, I TRULY understand the value of clear workplace communication.

I no longer make the mistake of overloading others with endless scenarios that just derail conversations, confuse decision-making, and slow down progress. This is because I no longer feel the need to "prove" to others that I have done my homework by laying out ALL my detailed reasonings for various options and backup plans.

In other words, while I used to try to be the "full of options" person, I now aim to be THE SOLUTION person.

It turns out, true value comes when we deliver clarity, not clutter. Everyone who's ever written TL;DR gets it. ??

And fun fact - The U.S. military actually does this really well. ?????

? They even have a named principle for it. It's called BLUF: Bottom Line Up Front. BLUF enforces speed and clarity in military comms by putting the MOST important information first. ??That's why in a military email, you'll never see a lieutenant "burying the lead" or delaying their main point. They plainly state the problem, identify their recommendation for moving forward, and present a clear ask.

When in doubt, BLUF it up! Because people are busy and time is valuable.

So nowadays - whether I’m talking to a colleague, emailing a client, or honestly even coordinating vacation plans with my husband, I ALWAYS use the 1-2 Option Rule.

And it works like charm. ??