The more similar and equally attractive two alternatives are, the harder it is to choose between them. This is especially true when the outcome or consequence of the choice is insignificant.
So, if a leader is choosing between two laptops and both seem great and largely alike, they will spend an inordinate amount of time comparing features, reading reviews, and testing them before deciding.
Important decisions with clearly different outcomes are much easier because the better option stands out.
Unimportant or less critical decisions between nearly identical alternatives can be harder because there is little basis for preference. The decision becomes more difficult precisely because the options are nearly equal.
This is called a paradox because of the mismatch: The time and energy spent on the decision is high, while the value of making the “right” decision is very small.
Still, people spend a disproportionate amount of time on these choices even when the stakes are low. Computer scientist Edward Fredkin suggested that this extensive effort is irrational when the practical consequences for the choice or decision are almost the same.
Why is this important for leaders?
The paradox highlights the common trap, where leaders spend too much time and organizational energy on decisions that don’t matter much, while delaying action on ones that do.
Understanding the paradox helps leaders recognize that when a decision is “close enough,” action, not more scrutiny, is the best course.
Leaders often face choices among similarly good options: which qualified candidate to hire, which vendor to select, which project management tool to adopt, which marketing campaign to launch first.
When the options are roughly equivalent, the value of additional analysis is typically very small. Once a leader has established that the alternatives are similarly good, continuing to debate them is usually a poor use of time.
This is not to say leaders should simply flip a coin. Instead, the idea is to gather existing data and make a call. The cost of delay is usually greater than the cost of choosing the existing option.
Not all decisions deserve the same amount of attention. When the difference between options is small, the speed and quality of execution usually matter more than the choice itself.
The leadership lesson is clear: When choices look equally good, good leaders stop debating and start executing.
