Reviewing is Not Deciding

Announcing reviews, impact assessments, working groups, strategy papers, and dialogue formats. It sounds responsible and objective. Sometimes it is necessary — other times it simply postpones the decision.

Reviewing has no immediate consequences. It sounds professional, distributes responsibility, and creates an impression of thoroughness. As long as a review is underway, nobody actually has to explain or enforce anything.

A clear political priority with real-world consequences. Decisions create winners, losers, costs, and criticism. That is exactly why endless reviewing can become comfortable.

Commit to one small, time-bound measure: including a lead person, a deadline, a budget, and the specific criteria for measuring success.