Lately, I’ve been receiving more messages than usual from people thanking me for sharing the real-world lessons I’m encountering across the different organizations I’m involved in. The truth is, working within such varied environments—from grassroots political groups to first responder organizations—exposes me to a fascinating range of challenges.

And yet, no matter how different these settings seem, there are always patterns.

The PCDO Straw Poll Saga: A Case Study in Groupthink

Take, for example, the Princeton Community Democratic Organization (PCDO). It’s a volunteer-led group with about 450 members, where well-meaning people with good intentions sometimes get stuck in what I call "decision paralysis."

A simple straw poll on the upcoming NJ governor’s race should have been easy, right? I created a JotForm in minutes. Name, email, candidate choice—done.

But then came the debates:

• “We need to verify results against our membership database.”
• “But we should allow anonymous voting so people feel free to vote.”
• “If it’s anonymous, how do we make sure only members vote?”
• “Let’s limit votes per IP address.”
• “But what if people forward the link and vote from their phone?”
• “Maybe we should just limit it to 450 responses and hope for the best?”

Eventually, we settled on an approach. The form was sent out, and 170 people responded. Then the email arrived:

"The results have been tainted! Someone is manipulating the vote! The integrity of the poll is compromised!"

Here’s the kicker: This was a straw poll. It wasn’t binding. It had no real consequences. But some people were convinced that this minor internal survey had been hijacked to undermine the PCDO’s reputation.

The takeaway? A group can get caught in endless loops of debate and overcorrection, especially when no one wants to take full accountability for a decision. In the end, the poll results were scrapped, and all we accomplished was wasting time.

Leadership Means Making the Call

Whether it’s a small volunteer group or a high-stakes business, decision-making works best when:

✅ One person owns the final decision—Input is great, but someone has to say, “This is what we’re doing.”

✅ You accept that no process is 100% foolproof—Perfect is the enemy of done.

✅ You stop using fear of worst-case scenarios to delay action—Yes, someone might game the system, but that’s not a reason to halt progress.

This is true in businesses, politics, and even emergency services. Speaking of which…

When Volunteerism Becomes a Liability

At the Princeton First Aid & Rescue Squad (PFARS), we’re facing a challenge: We require our volunteers to complete a structured training program within 12 months. That’s a fair expectation. But time and again, we have members who, at the one-year mark, have only completed half their training.

One recent case? A university student joined in November, did one shift in December, and then disappeared for months. He showed up again last week, claiming he “didn’t know” he was supposed to keep working shifts while on break.

This happens constantly. Meanwhile, volunteers contribute only 3% of the total hours, but managing them takes up 60-70% of our time.

I’m beginning to believe that the current volunteer model is more of an identity than a functional system. People like the idea of a volunteer rescue squad, but the reality is that when you call 911, you don’t care whether the person responding is a volunteer or a paid professional. You care that they show up—immediately, skillfully, and consistently.

The solution?

🚨 No more volunteers unless they meet a stricter set of criteria.

🚨 Shift to an observer or ride-along program for students instead of full membership.

🚨 Rethink our entire recruitment and retention model based on actual performance—not nostalgia.

What This Means for You

These stories might seem like they only apply to local politics or emergency services, but I guarantee you’ve seen versions of them in your own business:

• A decision that should take five minutes stretches into five meetings.
• A process is broken, but no one wants to change it because “that’s how we’ve always done it.”
• A role or structure exists, not because it’s needed, but because it’s comfortable.

What’s one inefficient process in your world that’s ripe for disruption? Hit reply and let me know—I’d love to hear about it.

Make it an effective day,

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