Rethinking Tough Decisions: Why It’s Not Just A or B

As a manager, some decisions can feel impo ible. Should you hire a new team member or not? Implement a new software system or stick with what you have? Restructure your team or leave things as they are? It’s easy to get stuck weighing only two options, but this is often the “either/or trap.” Complex problems rarely have just one right choice, yet we treat them as if they do.

Either/or thinking narrows your perspective, creating stre and indecision. The key to better decision-making is learning to expand your options, explore creative alternatives, and consider solutions you might not have initially imagined.

Look for Options Within Options

Instead of forcing a choice between two extremes, examine the po ibilities within each. 

For instance, if your team is at capacity and you’re debating hiring, the options go beyond simply hiring or not. You could bring on a full-time employee, hire someone part-time, use a contractor for a specific project, or even partner with another department to share resources. 

On the other hand, if you decide not to hire, you could redistribute work among the team, automate certain proce es, outsource specific tasks, or delay lower-priority projects.

By exploring the “sub-options” within each path, you transform a binary choice into a range of practical solutions, many of which may be more cost-effective or better suited to your team’s needs.

Question Your A umptions

Many either/or decisions arise from a umptions we take for granted. What if you could challenge those a umptions and discover new solutions? 

When debating whether to implement a new system, for example, consider if a partial rollout is po ible, or whether running both old and new systems in parallel temporarily could work. 

Perhaps the current system can be customized, or the proce can be adjusted without replacing the software. 

Asking these “what if” questions often reveals alternatives that were overlooked at first glance.

Sequence Decisions Over Time

Some dilemmas feel urgent because we treat them as permanent, high-stakes choices. In reality, many decisions can be tested and sequenced. 

For example, if you’re deciding whether to expand into a new market, you might first run a small experiment in that market while continuing to optimize your current one. 

Insights from these trials can guide a more confident, strategic expansion later. Sequencing reduces risk and allows you to make informed decisions without feeling locked in.

Putting It Into Practice

Next time you find yourself asking, “Should we do X or Y?” pause and expand your thinking. Most either/or decisions are actually multiple-choice problems in disguise, and shifting your approach can uncover solutions that are more effective, practical, and creative than you first imagined.

Escaping the either/or trap isn’t just about making better decisions. It’s about modeling creative problem-solving for your team. When your team sees you finding innovative solutions to complex challenges, they learn to approach their own problems with the same creativity and flexibility.

Ultimately, when you feel stuck between two choices, the answer is rarely just A or B. The best solutions often lie in C, D, or E. By learning to expand your options, you’ll make smarter decisions, lead with confidence, and help your team grow in innovation and problem-solving.

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The Modern Manager is a leadership podcast for rockstar managers who want to create a working environment where people thrive, and great work gets done.

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