A quick question:

When you review a proposal, analysis, or AI-generated output, what are you actually testing?

Most people focus on the answer. Does it look right? Is it well expressed? Does it align with what we expected? All reasonable checks, but they miss something more fundamental, which is

the answer is only as good as the assumptions behind it.

This is becoming more obvious in the age of AI. The outputs are often clear, structured and confident, which creates a sense of comfort. But their clarity can mask something far more fragile underneath.

And this is why.

Every decision rests on a set of assumptions. About the market, the customer, the organisation’s capability, and how the future might unfold. While some of these assumptions are explicit, many sit quietly in the background, shaping the direction of the decision without ever being challenged.

Teams might refine the analysis, debate the recommendation and improve the narrative but rarely do they step back and ask whether the foundations are sound. The conversation stays at the level of “Do we agree?” rather than “Why do we believe this will work?”

In Chapter 11 of my book, Team Think I describe this through my MCI Decision Model, which represents two behaviours:

• a tendency to go straight to implementation without clarifying what the solution actually looks like in practice,
• and to overlook the motivation that creates the ‘why’ that sits at the core of a quality decision.

The ‘why’ is vital because when it’s unclear, poorly tested or built from strong but misguided emotions, the rest of the decision, no matter how well constructed, becomes vulnerable.

With AI, these behaviours can become more common because the answers are now arriving faster, increasing the temptation to accept them in the name of productivity.

My tip: before making your next decision, shift the focus. Ask “What is the motivation behind this decision?” and question whether the motivation is steering you away from asking the right question.

For example, if your motivation is the need to innovate as directed by the Board, the Board may have overlooked the bigger question of “What should our business look like in the emerging age of AI?”

My Focus: Helping people with these challenges through business simulation experiences. Please get in touch if you would like to know more.