Choice

Statistically, you prefer choice. 
Given the choice of more or less choice, you will choose greater choice (say that 3x fast).
More choice represents increased control, autonomy, potential reward, and the perceived expression of free will for your mind. 


What your mind does not factor into the equation is that increased choice comes with greater cognitive demand. 
Choosing between coffee or espresso is simple. 
Choosing between pour-over, drip, siphon, cold brew, americano, cortado, and then 8 variations of milk options is not simple. 


When it comes to coffee, heuristics help you cut out some of the noise which keeps the decision manageable. 
Substitute coffee with a less familiar situation and the demand on your cognitive resources increases exponentially. 
But wait, there is more: now run yourself through the same exercise of resource-high cognitively-demanding decisions in back-to-back meetings for 8 hours straight. 


As a human, choice is the preference. 
As a leader, the work is to define when choice adds value and when choice causes undue resource burn for you and your team. 
Your team may be annoyed at the lack of choice on some short-term decisions, but helping them see how it increases long-term cognitive resource capacity will generally temper that perspective. 



More coffee less problems,
- Morning Cup