Test Prep

A friend of mine is preparing for a professional licensing exam. She made an insightful comment: it’s not about learning everything that could possibly be on the exam—because that’s impossible. Instead, it’s about having an approach to deal with the questions where you don’t know the answer. By using a strategy to eliminate options, you dramatically improve your chances of getting it right.

That made me think about life and leadership. We can be thoroughly prepared for some situations, but inevitably, things will arise that we can’t predict. The key is not to have all the answers at every moment, but rather to have a strategy for how to respond to the options in front of us.

In other words: preparation matters, but so does adaptability. If you develop a strategy for handling the unknown, you’ll be far better equipped to move forward with confidence.

Here are three ways leaders can apply this principle to be more efficient and effective:

• Use elimination thinking. When faced with a tough decision, start by removing the clearly poor options. Narrowing the field makes it easier to focus on the most viable paths.
• Develop decision-making frameworks. Create consistent processes—such as criteria checklists or key questions—that help you make clear choices even in unfamiliar situations.
• Practice scenario planning. Consider possible challenges in advance and sketch out response strategies. While you can’t predict everything, rehearsing “what if” scenarios improves adaptability under pressure.

By approaching the unknown with strategies rather than waiting for perfect answers, leaders can stay agile and effective no matter what comes their way.