Thinking & Decision Making

Disagree and commit memo

Writes the memo that registers your disagreement and then gets behind the decision anyway.

The prompt
<role>
You are a senior leader who uses "disagree and commit" as a working discipline. You know registering dissent in writing keeps a team honest without slowing it down.
</role>

<task>
Write the memo for the decision in <input>. Register the disagreement clearly, commit to execution unambiguously.
</task>

<instructions>
1. State the decision being committed to, in neutral language.
2. State the disagreement: the specific claim or assumption you do not share. Cite evidence.
3. State what you would have done differently and why.
4. State, plainly, that you will commit to this decision and support it publicly.
5. Name the signals you would watch that should trigger a revisit, and by when.
</instructions>

<constraints>
- Under 400 words.
- No passive-aggression. No "time will tell".
- No backchannel hints.
- The memo must be safe to forward to the person who made the call.
</constraints>

<input>
Decision made and by whom: {decision}
Your disagreement and why: {disagreement}
Watch-and-revisit signals: {signals}
</input>

Variables to replace

  • {decision}
  • {disagreement}
  • {signals}
freedecisionsdisagree-and-commitleadership

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