Set a Tripwire
A tripwire is a signal chosen in advance to prompt a review of a decision. It might be a deadline, spending limit, unexpected problem, or pattern of results that would otherwise be easy to overlook.
THE IDEA
Set a Tripwire
- In life, we naturally slip into autopilot, leaving past decisions unquestioned.
- E.g., we’ve all been peeling bananas from the top. Nothing ever compelled us to reconsider it.
- A tripwire can snap us awake and make us realize we have a choice.
- Zappos’s $1,000 offer created a conscious fork in the road for new hires.
- David Lee Roth’s brown M&Ms signaled that he needed to inspect the production.
- Tripwires can be especially useful when change is gradual.
- Digital images killed Kodak; its executives could have used tripwires to spark a bolder response.
- For people stuck on autopilot, consider deadlines or partitions.
- “Six months ago, you thought you’d have a recording contract by now.”
- Partitions: Day laborers saved more when their pay was put in 10 envelopes versus 1.
- We tend to escalate our investment in poor decisions; partitions can help rein that in.
- E.g., “We won’t allocate more than $50,000 to jump-start this failing project.”
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Tripwires can actually create a safe space for risk taking. They: (1) cap risk; and (2) quiet your mind until the trigger is hit.
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Many powerful tripwires are triggered by patterns rather than dates/metrics/budgets.
- Unexpected problems: A children’s hospital told nurses to call the rapid-response team if they were worried about a patient.
- Peter Drucker: Be ready for “unexpected success.”
- Rogaine scientists were savvy enough to spot the opportunity in back-hair growth.
- Tripwires can provide a precious realization: We have a choice to make.
[*] Note that partitioning is better suited to self-control-type issues, like saving money or resisting cookies. When you start thinking about how to implement the principle in an office environment, it can get a little weird. For example, imagine that you wanted your coworkers to be more thoughtful about their use of the color printer, so you created a “partition” that required them to click a button after every 10 pages printed. That kind of thing could lead to bloodshed very quickly.
[†] A detached source note mentions an IHI expert helping the 100,000 Homes team. The campaign itself is not described in this excerpt.
When to use it
Setting a budget cap on a failing project to prevent overinvestment.
Using a calendar reminder that asks, 'Is this still the best use of my time?' before renewing a subscription.
In a hiring process, asking candidates to complete a small trial task—if they don’t, it’s a tripwire to reconsider fit.
For personal health, scheduling a checkup every six months with a specific test result as a tripwire to change diet or exercise.
FROM THEORY TO EVERYDAY LIFE
In practice
Zappos’s $1,000 Offer
The book describes Zappos offering new hires $1,000 to quit after training. The offer creates a deliberate moment to reconsider whether they want to stay.
David Lee Roth’s Brown M&Ms
Van Halen’s contract specified that there should be no brown M&Ms backstage. Finding them signaled that the venue might not have read the rider carefully, prompting an inspection of the more consequential production requirements.
Kodak’s Missed Tripwire
Kodak executives could have set a tripwire (e.g., “When digital camera sales reach X%, we pivot fully”) but instead ignored gradual change, leading to the company’s decline.
Day Laborers’ Envelopes
Day laborers saved more when their pay was divided into 10 envelopes rather than 1. The partition acted as a tripwire: each envelope felt like a separate pot, curbing overspending.
A MOMENT TO REFLECT
Put it to work.
What decisions in your life or work have been on autopilot that could benefit from a tripwire?
How could you use a pattern-based tripwire (not just a deadline) to catch gradual negative trends before they become critical?
Think of a current project where you’ve escalated commitment. What objective tripwire could help you decide when to stop or pivot?
CONTINUE THE CONVERSATION
Source texts
- Decisive How to Make Better Choices in Life and Work (Chip Heath)