The Urgency Playbook: 10 Practical Methods for Decisive Action
In today's business landscape, speed is a currency. Yet, many of us find ourselves trapped in a state of professional quicksand, sinking slowly into indecision, endless analysis, and the false comfort of inaction. We wait for more data, for consensus, or for the "perfect" moment, only to watch opportunities pass us by.
The gap between knowing and doing is where potential goes to die. Through a series of "Urgency Sessions," I explored this challenge with four insightful guests: marketing strategist Chris Kubby, founder of Kubco; growth mastermind Jesper Åström, founder of Elsa; strategy consultant Andi Jarvis, founder of Eximo; and user experience thinker Slobodan Manic, host of the No Hacks Podcast. This is not another theoretical article; it's a playbook drawn from our conversations, blending decisive action with human wisdom. Here are ten methods to break the cycle of delay and start acting with urgency and conviction.
1. The Principle: Inaction Isn't a Pause Button; It's a Choice with a Price Tag
The Human Barrier: We instinctively treat inaction as a neutral, safe haven. We believe we are simply "waiting" or "observing." But this is a cognitive illusion. As Andi Jarvis explained in our session, inaction is an active decision. He put it plainly: "We don't understand that inaction is actually a choice... option D is to choose to do nothing." This choice for the perceived comfort of the status quo is often driven by a deeper emotion: fear.
Insights from the Session: Chris Kubby nailed this when he said that inaction often stems from fear and uncertainty. He noted that we live in a world with "so many trains passing" that we're terrified of getting on the wrong one. But as our conversations revealed, the greatest risk isn't choosing the wrong path; it's standing still while all the paths move forward without you.
The Practical Method: To combat this, you must make the cost of inaction tangible. Before deferring a decision, ask yourself:
What is the opportunity cost? "What revenue, leads, or market share are we actively sacrificing each week we delay?"
What is the competitive cost? "What is our competitor likely to do in the four weeks we spend deliberating? Will they capture the market narrative?"
What is the data cost? As I often say, data is like ice cream, not fine wine; it melts. "How much less valuable will this insight be in a month?"
2. The Principle: Identify the Door, Is It a One-Way Trip or a Round Trip?
The Human Barrier: We treat every decision, from changing a button color to acquiring a company, with the same paralyzing gravity. We see every doorway as a point of no return. During my conversation with Chris Kubby, we discussed how teams often treat everything like a "one-way door," a high-stakes decision that, once made, cannot be undone.
Insights from the Session: Slobodan Manic provided a powerful counterpoint. He challenged the very notion of one-way doors in most aspects of life and business: "Count on the fingers of your one hand the number of times you made a decision in your life that was truly irreversible... I guarantee you it's 0, or one at most." This realization is liberating. Most of our decisions are "two-way doors", we can walk through, see what it's like, and if we don't like it, we can walk right back.
The Practical Method: Before any deliberation, triage your decision. Ask three quick questions:
Can this be undone?
What would it truly cost in time and money to go back?
How quickly could we revert?
If the answer is essentially "Yes, not much, and quickly," then it's a two-way door. Your goal isn't to find the perfect, unassailable answer. Your goal is to move, learn, and be ready to adjust.
3. The Principle: Stop Trying to Eat the Elephant Whole, Cut the Cake Smaller
The Human Barrier: We present massive, intimidating proposals and then wonder why stakeholders are hesitant. Committing a huge budget or significant resources to an unproven idea is a natural fear. It's our job to make saying "yes" feel safe.
Insights from the Session: Chris Kubby shared a fantastic story of overcoming this exact problem. His team was faced with a client who felt their proposed budget was "twice as much as what we wanted to spend." Instead of a stalemate, they de-risked the decision. Chris explained their winning approach: "Why don't we cut the cake smaller?... Why don't we just do phase one at that reduced price?" By proposing a limited, exploratory first phase, they lowered the perceived risk and built the trust needed to move forward.
The Practical Method: Instead of asking for the entire commitment, reframe your proposal to create momentum.
Propose a Pilot: Ask for a small, low-cost experiment to test the single biggest assumption in your plan.
Outline Phase One: Break the project into phases and ask only for approval for the first. Define the success criteria for that phase, making the next investment contingent on clear results.
4. The Principle: Set "Curtain Up" Deadlines, Not "Go-Live" Suggestions
The Human Barrier: Corporate deadlines have become soft. "Go-live dates" are often treated as polite suggestions that can be pushed back. This culture of flexibility, while well-intentioned, kills the pressure that creates focus.
Insights from the Session: Andi Jarvis introduced a powerful mindset shift he uses with his clients: adopting the language of the theatre. "I like to try and get them to talk about curtain up," he explained. "Curtain up Friday at 7 pm. That curtain goes up at 7 PM. Friday, and you have to be ready." The show must go on. There is no option to delay. This creates a non-negotiable commitment.
The Practical Method: When you set a deadline, frame it as a "curtain up" moment. This immediately forces the team to shift from "Is everything perfect?" to "What is the absolute minimum we need to have a show?" Distinguish between "Show Stoppers" (what the project cannot function without) and "Post-Launch Improvements." This brings ruthless clarity and ensures you launch with what truly matters.
5. The Principle: Become a "Tritarian", Trade the Need to Be Right for the Will to Learn
The Human Barrier: We are wired to defend our ideas. We fall victim to what Jesper Åström called the danger of data being used simply to "support confirmation bias." If the data doesn't fit our pre-existing belief, we question the data, not our belief.
Insights from the Session: Slobodan Manic offered a wonderful antidote with his philosophy of being a "Tritarian", someone who needs to try everything he hasn't tried before. This mindset values curiosity over certainty. It reframes action not as a definitive move, but as an experiment designed to generate new knowledge. When the goal is learning, the fear of "failure" dissipates.
The Practical Method: In meetings, stop debating subjective opinions. Start framing actions as measurable hypotheses. Use this structure to turn a stalemate into an experiment:
"What if we test the hypothesis that if we [PROPOSED ACTION], then [EXPECTED OUTCOME] will happen? We'll know if we're on the right track if we see [METRIC] change within [TIMEFRAME]." This elevates the conversation from ego to evidence.
6. The Principle: Prioritize by Impact, Not by Comfort
The Human Barrier: We are masters of productive procrastination. We fill our days with easy, low-value work to create a feeling of accomplishment, while the truly important, "needle-moving" projects get pushed aside.
Insights from the Session: Andi Jarvis shared a powerful three-word mantra he learned: "Prioritize by impact." He admitted his tendency to do the tasks he enjoys most first, observing, "I will update social media rather than update my website. Why? Because WordPress can be a bit clunky." We must consciously fight this urge.
The Practical Method: At the start of each day, identify your single most important task, your "frog." As Brian Tracy famously advised, "eat that frog" first. Before the deluge of emails and meetings hijacks your day, dedicate your sharpest energy to the one thing that matters most.
7. The Principle: Confront "Bruce" the Shark, Define the Real Worst-Case Scenario
The Human Barrier: Our imagination is our worst enemy. We build up the potential negative consequences of a decision in our minds until they become monstrous and paralyzing, like the unseen shark in Jaws.
Insights from the Session: I discussed the "Bruce" the shark story with Slobodan Manic, who connected it directly to a formal practice. He recommended Tim Ferriss's "fear-setting" exercise, explaining its power: "If I make this decision, what is the worst thing that could happen?... And you realize that... It's not that scary."
The Practical Method: Drag your fears into the light. Take a piece of paper and write down the absolute worst thing that could realistically happen. Then, brainstorm what you could do to prevent that outcome, and what you would do to repair the situation if it did happen. This simple act of definition robs the fear of its abstract, overwhelming power.
8. The Principle: Tame Your Inbox and Calendar, Schedule Your Decisions
The Human Barrier: Our workdays are often a chaotic stream of back-to-back meetings, leading to what Andi Jarvis and I discussed as chronic "decision fatigue." Important decisions get mentally bookmarked for "later", a time that never arrives.
Insights from the Session: During our chat, I shared a personal tactic: scheduling "Decision Time." As I explained, "If it's a mail I have to think about... I started it, and it's in my indecision folder... so I I decided to maybe have a slot in the calendar call later." This isn't just a quirky habit; it's a necessary system.
The Practical Method: Treat decision-making as a primary work task. Block out two 30-minute "Decision Time" slots in your calendar each day. This is protected time to work through the items you've deferred. The goal isn't to be perfect; it's to make progress and unblock your team.
9. The Principle: Escape the Average, Your Benchmark Is Greatness, Not Mediocrity
The Human Barrier: An over-reliance on competitive benchmarking can anchor our ambitions to the average. It feels safe and data-driven, but it's often a recipe for mediocrity.
Insights from the Session: Andi Jarvis articulated this perfectly. "They're benchmarking against the average," he said, "so we set this mediocre standard that we want to beat." He posed the killer question: "Imagine you... won the award for the most mediocre presentation... would you be proud of yourself?" Of course not. Yet, that's what many business strategies aim for.
The Practical Method: Use benchmarks as a starting point, not the finish line. Ask your team the "10x Question": "What would it take to achieve a 10x result here?" This question shatters incremental thinking and forces you to imagine entirely new approaches that can lead to true greatness.
10. The Principle: Get Over Yourself. No One Is Watching That Closely
The Human Barrier: The fear of embarrassment is one of the most powerful paralytics. We believe a failed project will make us look stupid, because we see ourselves at the center of the universe.
Insights from the Session: Slobodan Manic offered a profoundly liberating perspective. "It is extremely liberating once you realize that you don't matter in the world," he stated. This isn't cynical; it's freeing. "Whatever you do... most people don't care. So just do whatever feels right for you."
The Practical Method: The next time you're frozen by the fear of what others will think, remember the "Spotlight Effect", our tendency to overestimate how much others notice our mistakes vastly. Think back to a misstep a colleague made last month. Chances are, you've already forgotten. They have almost certainly forgotten yours, too. This realization grants you the freedom to be bold.
Conclusion: Urgency is a Muscle
Acting with urgency is not about being reckless; it is about making smart, timely moves in a world that punishes hesitation. These ten principles are not quick fixes; they are a training regimen. Like building muscle, developing a bias for action requires consistent practice. Start small. Pick one of these principles to apply this week. By making these small, deliberate shifts, you will begin to replace the friction of indecision with the powerful, human momentum of action.
