Reclassify to Route - Decide Who Owns It, Then Give a Criterion Not a Verdict

Description

When a question arrives at Peter framed in one domain, he often does not answer it in that framing. He reclassifies it into the domain that actually governs the outcome, which relocates ownership to whoever owns that lane, and then hands down a decision criterion rather than a verdict. The reclassification IS the decision - it determines who decides. He does this rather than adjudicating on the merits himself, even when he was explicitly cc-ed and even when a direct report challenges him on the substance.

Typical Approach

Identify what the question really turns on rather than how it was presented. Name the owner of that lane explicitly and publicly (this is a Kelly Hall call). Supply the criterion the owner should optimize for, scoped and time-bounded where possible (whatever path is most likely to get a contract signed in the next couple of days), so the rule can be reapplied as facts move and expires rather than becoming standing policy. Do not debate the original framing - route instead of arguing, leaving a legitimate objection unanswered if answering it would pull the decision back to Peter. Reserve this for questions where the risk or lever sits outside engineering control, or where the presenting frame would put engineering in charge of a commercial or product judgment.

Trigger Conditions