“Xanax for Decision Making”

“Xanax for Decision Making”

Insight from First Round

You've got strong personalities with competing views, limited data, and pressure to move fast - it's the perfect recipe for decision paralysis.

Every startup seems to hit that painful growth stage where decisions get stuck in endless Slack threads and nothing moves forward. 

Enter this simple framework we came across - so simple and useful that it’s been nicknamed “Xanax for decision-making.”

The magic lies in its simplicity. Draw a matrix with your options across the top and three rows: benefits, costs, and mitigations. 

While benefits and costs are straightforward, mitigations force everyone to think constructively about how to soften or eliminate the downsides of each option. 

Instead of people arguing their side or defending their positions, they start problem-solving together.

Next time you’re working through a tough decision, grab a Google Doc, and guide the conversation with perspective-shifting questions like "What would be best for our customers?" or "What would the board want?" 

Benefits and costs are generally straightforward, but the real magic happens in the mitigations discussion. Teams often discover entirely new solutions they hadn't considered.

Want this exercise to stick in your organization? 

• Start with senior leaders actually using it (not just endorsing it)

• Give everyone a 24-hour "freakout window" after decisions are made. It keeps things moving while giving people time to voice second thoughts - the perfect balance of speed and safety.