CLARIFY Decision Framework
This toolkit provides a structured, rational process for analyzing a complex decision, ensuring that ethical principles, stakeholder impacts, and long-term strategy are all considered. It is designed for significant decisions with intertwined ethical and strategic dimensions, guiding a leadership team to a final, justifiable choice. Use this framework to move beyond debate to a clear, coherent, and values-aligned course of action.
How to Use This Tool
Use this worksheet whenever you face a significant decision with intertwined ethical and strategic dimensions. It is a multi-step process:
1. Complete the analysis in sections C, L, A, and R.
2. Optionally, conduct the "Red Team Challenge" to stress-test your leading options.
3. Use the "Score & Select" methodology in section S to make a final, justifiable choice.
4. Detail your execution plan in sections I and F.
Decision Owner: [Name of the person ultimately accountable for the outcome]
The Dilemma: [Clearly and concisely state the decision or problem you are facing. Be as objective as possible.]
C - Context / Logic
What are the objective facts?
● Facts: [List the verifiable facts of the situation.]
● Key Stakeholders Involved: [List the internal and external stakeholders who will be affected.]
● Core Tension: [What are the competing values or objectives at play? (e.g., "Short-term profit vs. long-term customer trust").]
L - Likely Impacts
What are the potential consequences of the primary options?
● Guiding Questions:
○ What is the best-case scenario for each option? The worst-case? The most likely?
○ Are the impacts concentrated in the short-term, or do they have a long tail?
● Qualitative & Quantitative Analysis: [Detail the positive and negative impacts for each option, including financial analysis where applicable.]
A - Align Values
How do the options align or conflict with our core corporate values?
● Guiding Questions:
○ Which option is the most authentic expression of who we claim to be?
○ Could any option be perceived by employees or customers as hypocritical?
● [Analyze each option against your values.]
R - Review Strategy Fit
How do the options support or undermine our long-term strategy, material issues, and stakeholder relationships?
● Guiding Questions:
○ Does this option strengthen or dilute our brand identity?
○ Does this option create future strategic options or limit them?
● [Analyze each option against your strategy, ESMM, and Stakeholder Scan.]
Optional Step: The "Red Team" Challenge
Before scoring, consider this optional but highly valuable step to stress-test your leading options.
● Action: For the top 1-2 options, assign a person or small group to act as a "Red Team." Their job is to spend 10-15 minutes building the strongest possible case against that option. This exercise is invaluable for uncovering hidden risks and weak points in your reasoning before you commit.
S - Score & Select
This section provides a structured methodology to select the optimal choice based on your analysis.
Step 1: Choose Your Decision Context
First, select the context that best describes this decision. This will set the weights for the scorecard, ensuring they are aligned with the strategic situation while upholding the principles of Logos Ethica.
Step 2: Apply the "Primacy of Integrity" Gate
Before scoring, every option must pass this two-threshold test.
● Threshold 1: The Integrity Veto (Red Line):Any option that receives a -1 or -2 on "Strategic Integrity Fit" is immediately disqualified.
Any option that receives a -2 on ANY other criterion is also disqualified.
● Threshold 2: The High Scrutiny Flag (Yellow Light):Any option that receives a -1 on any Stakeholder or Financial criterion is flagged as a "High-Risk Option." It can only be selected if it has the highest score AND a robust "Harm Mitigation Plan" is created in Section I.
Step 3: Complete the Value Creation Scorecard
For the options that pass the Integrity Gate, use the scorecard below.
Scoring Scale Definition:
● +2: Creates Significant, Durable Value
● +1: Creates Moderate or Clear Value
● 0: Neutral or Negligible Impact
● -1: Causes Moderate or Clear Harm
● -2: Causes Significant, Durable Harm
I - Implement
What is our chosen course of action, and what is our plan for execution?
● Decision: [State the final decision, selected from the options that passed the Integrity Gate and scored highest.]
● Rationale: [Briefly explain the justification, referencing the scorecard results.]
● Harm Mitigation Plan: [**Mandatory if a "High-Risk Option" was chosen.** Detail the specific actions you will take to address and alleviate the negative impact on the affected stakeholder or criterion.]
● Action Plan & Ownership: [What are the immediate next steps, and who is responsible for each?]
● Communication Plan: [Who needs to be informed of this decision, and what is the key message for each group?]
● Leadership Commitment Check:
○ As a leadership team, do we have the unanimous conviction to see this decision through, even if it becomes difficult?
○ What is the most difficult conversation we will need to have to make this successful, and who will lead it?
F - Follow-up / Reflect
How will we monitor the outcome and learn from this decision?
● Success Metrics: [How will we know if this was a good decision? What will we measure?]
● Review Date: [When will we formally review the impacts of this decision? (e.g., "In 90 days").]
● Key Lesson: [What is the primary lesson we can learn from this process to improve our decision-making in the future?]