How to reduce executive decision fatigue

These are simple rules you can use to foster critical thinking and efficient use of resources in an organization. Particularly during rapid growth, rules of this nature will help you make the most efficient use of employee resources and most importantly reduce decision fatigue among executive staff.

Decision fatigue is a real problem. It's been shown that the temporary brain starvation in select tissues causes real consequences. For example "Researchers often refer to this phenomenon as decision fatigue. When the judge on a parole board experiences decision fatigue, they deny more parole requests.

This makes sense. When your willpower is fading and your brain is tired of making decisions, it’s easier just to say no and keep everyone locked up than it is to debate whether or not someone is trustworthy enough to leave prison. "At the beginning of the day, a judge will give each case a fair shot. But as their energy starts to fade? Deny, deny, deny." - James Clear

https://jamesclear.com/willpower-decision-fatigue#:~:text=Researchers%20often%20refer%20to%20this,they%20deny%20more%20parole%20requests.&text=At%20the%20beginning%20of%20the%20day%2C%20a%20judge%20will,each%20case%20a%20fair%20shot.

Before you come to an executive with a question or need please run yourself through

this checklist:

1) Is this something that only EXECUTIVE can answer or would someone in the organization be able to help me directly (example is EXECUTIVE the keeper of this knowledge or is she going to probably go to another person in the organization for the answer, so perhaps I should start with that person and use my own reason)

2) Have I done EVERYTHING in my capacity to answer the question without asking EXECUTIVE? (have I done the basic research)

3) Prior to coming to EXECUTIVE, is the information complete and are my questions clear and concise on what I need? (very important, executives often get partial information and incomplete information)

4) On projects, have I progressed as far as possible without EXECUTIVE, using my own intellect and reason? (have I done everything else on the project that doesn't need EXECUTIVE or is this a natural roadblock where only her answer can allow the project to move forward)

5) Considering how busy EXECUTIVE is, is this question something that needs attention or is this basically just an indulgence?

6) Have EXECUTIVE and I already discussed this and I have already been given some action items that I have not followed? Executives don't need to explain the process, goals and the full vision to the employee. ask any military personnel if the general shares the complete battle plans prior to the lieutenant executing an order?

7) Blank forwards drain brainpower - DO NOT forward an email chain and say "what do you think?" Summarize, be clear on what you need and then ask for it directly.

8) Follow up - if asked for something, it's expected YOU to follow up. I shouldn't have to ask "what happened to that project that we started 4 weeks ago". You should be telling EXECUTIVE the information on what happened and the outcome along with challenges and successes and failures.

Valued staff, if you have run yourself through this checklist please feel free to ask whatever you want.