Part II: The Method · Chapter 5
The big idea: Run the same approach on every scenario: Define the dilemma, Examine perspectives and options, Choose and justify, Deal with consequences.
Carry it into the test as: Name it, weigh it, commit, follow through. Then answer the next question.
This is the chapter to memorize. A method matters most under a clock, because the worst thing you can do with 3.5 minutes is spend the first one deciding how to think. With the structure already in your hands, all of your attention goes to the situation in front of you, and your answers become consistent, which is exactly what a stronger quartile reflects.
We call the method the DECIDE approach.
| Move | What you do | Why raters reward it |
|---|---|---|
| D - Define the dilemma | Name the real conflict and everyone affected by it | Shows you answered the real question, not a simpler one |
| E - Examine perspectives and options | Step into each stakeholder’s shoes; weigh options against clear principles | Shows deliberation, not a reflex |
| C - Choose and justify | Commit to one concrete action and give the reason | Shows decisiveness, the single biggest differentiator |
| DE - Deal with consequences | Acknowledge the likely results and any follow-up | Shows you think past the immediate moment |
Under the acronym, the work breaks into five concrete steps.
Let us run the method on one scenario.
Scenario (typed). You coordinate the weekly schedule for a group of volunteers. Jordan, normally one of your most reliable volunteers, has shown up late and left early for the past two weeks, leaving the team short-handed. Today Jordan messages you privately and asks you to mark them as present for tomorrow’s shift, which they plan to miss entirely.
Question 1: What would you do, and why?
Here is a model answer with the DECIDE moves labeled so you can see the machine working. On the real test you would not label them; you would just write the answer.
(Define.) The real conflict is between supporting a colleague who may be struggling and the honesty and fairness I owe the team and the organization. The people affected are Jordan, me, the volunteers who will have to cover the gap, the people our group serves, and the organization that relies on accurate records. (Perspectives.) Jordan’s recent change is out of character, so something may be going on, illness, stress, or a problem at home, and they may feel awkward asking for help directly. At the same time, the rest of the team is being stretched thin, and the organization needs its attendance records to be true. (Principles and options.) I could quietly mark them present, which would feel kind in the moment but would be a false record I personally entered, and unfair to the volunteers who do show up. I could simply refuse and move on, which protects honesty but ignores a colleague who may be in trouble. (Decide and justify.) I would not mark Jordan present for a shift they miss, because that is a dishonest record and unfair to the team, but I would not just leave it there. I would reply that I cannot record them as present, and then ask, genuinely, whether everything is okay, since this is so unlike them, and offer to help find a real solution, swapping the shift, adjusting their hours for a while, or connecting them with the coordinator about a temporary change. (Consequences and follow-up.) I would make sure tomorrow’s shift still gets covered so the team is not left short, and if Jordan is dealing with something serious, I would point them toward whatever support exists rather than just managing the schedule around them. I would check in with them later in the week.
Notice what makes this strong. It names the real dilemma and the easy-to-miss stakeholders. It extends good faith to Jordan instead of assuming the worst. It refuses the dishonest act on a clear principle but pairs the refusal with genuine support, judgment plus humanity. And it handles the fallout. Another applicant might handle the support differently and still score well; the strength is the visible reasoning, not the exact wording.
The DECIDE moves do not each need a paragraph. Under time pressure, a strong answer can be tight:
You are not checking off five boxes mechanically. You are letting the method shape a natural, reasoned answer. With practice it stops feeling like steps and starts feeling like how you think.
