Decision-Making: From Breakfast Choices to Boardrooms

Deciding for yourself is one thing—but guiding others through decision-making? That’s a whole different ballgame. As a project manager and a mom, I’ve found the basic principles are surprisingly similar… even if one involves stakeholders and deadlines, and the other involves bedtime negotiations and breakfast debates.

Teaching Tiny Humans to Decide

With my kids, my goal is to help them learn how to make decisions. But let’s be real—I don’t want to end up driving a fire truck because my 3-year-old had a say in our next car purchase.

So what’s the trick? Age-appropriate choices.

Take breakfast, for example. If I ask my toddler, “What do you want to drink?” he’ll shout “orange juice!” (whether I want him to or not). If I just give him milk, he’ll feel robbed of his choice. Instead, I go with: “Do you want your milk in the red mug or the blue one?” Bam! He gets a say, and I still steer the ship.

Do they always fall for it? Nope. Kids are clever. But giving them small, guided choices builds confidence—and sometimes, letting them make a mistake (like discovering socks don’t go on hands) is part of the learning.

From Milk Mugs to Management Meetings

Now let’s zoom out to the world of project management. The decision-making process is just as real—only with more PowerPoint and fewer Cheerios.

When it comes to high-level decisions, we often need to involve top management. They bring the strategic perspective—which is exactly why their input is so valuable. But they’re not living in the day-to-day project trenches, and that’s where things can get tricky.

So, what do we do? We build a bridge.

The point is to provide the right context—clearly outlining the options, risks, and impacts—so that the decision-makers can combine their big-picture view with the right level of detailed information they need. That’s how we make sure decisions are aligned both strategically and practically.

If this prep work is not done, things can quickly go off track. Discussions get stuck, choices are delayed, or worse—decisions are made without the full picture. It’s like offering a toddler 25 mugs and hoping for a quick answer.

Whether I’m helping a toddler choose a breakfast cup or guiding executives through project decisions, it all boils down to this: set a clear framework, give informed choices, and make it easier for everyone to make confident, empowered decisions.

And Sometimes… They Flip the Script

Of course, the day will come when your little ones start using your own tricks on you.

“Mom, what ice cream can I have—chocolate or strawberry?”

Well played, kid. Well played.