Working with others
Show your reasoning, not just your answer
A micro exercise to share fast calls in a way people can follow, check and trust
When you share a conclusion, add the two or three things that got you there and what would change your mind.
Why this can work
A call you reached quickly can look like a leap to someone who wasn't inside your head. People push back on conclusions they can't trace, even good ones. A short trail of reasoning lets them follow it, check the step they're unsure of, and often improve it.
How to share your reasoning, not just your answer
You’ll come away with a call people can trace, with the two or three reasons that got you there.
We’ll turn this into a checklist you can tick off.
- Jot down what got you there.
Before you share the call, write the two or three things that tipped it. If you can't name them, the call may need another minute.
Tip: Instinct is often experience you haven't put into words yet. Writing it down is mostly translation.
- Share the answer, then the because.
Lead with the call so people know where you've landed, then give the trail. For example: I'd go with the smaller vendor. Three things got me there: they answered every question within a day, their price holds for two years, and our volume is too small to matter to the bigger one.
To: whoever you're sharing the call withMy call: the decision or recommendation.
What got me there: first reason, second reason and third reason.
I'd change my mind if what would make you land elsewhere. Which part looks weakest from where you sit?
Swap the highlighted parts for your thing. Works on Slack, in email, or said out loud. - Say what would change your mind.
One line on what you'd need to see to land somewhere else. It tells people you're open, and exactly what kind of information would help.
- Invite them to check one link.
Ask which part looks weakest from where they sit. It's an easier question to answer than whether they agree.
You“Which part of that looks weakest to you?”
Good times to repeat it: whenever you share a call you reached quicklywhen people keep pushing back on your conclusionswith anyone new to how you think
We’ll turn this into a checklist you can tick off.
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Making it work for you
Every workplace is different. Here’s what to think about before you start, and what might get in the way.
Things to think about
Two or three reasons are a trail; ten are a defense. People need enough to follow you, not every consideration you weighed.
What might make this harder
Say that: this is a hunch, and here's what it's based on. Calling a hunch a hunch is more credible than dressing it up as analysis.
Questions people ask
How do I explain my reasoning at work?
Give the conclusion, then the two or three things that got you there, then what would change your mind. Keep it short enough that people can follow it in one read.
Why do people keep pushing back on my decisions?
Often because they can't see how you got there. A call that looks like a leap invites challenge; the same call with a short line of reasoning tends to invite questions instead.
How do I explain a decision I made by gut feeling?
Name it as a hunch, then say what you think it rests on, such as something you've seen before. Honest uncertainty tends to be trusted more than invented precision.
Why this works, and where it comes from
Some people reach conclusions fast. They see a situation, recognize something in it, and know what they'd do before they could explain why. That speed is often real skill, built from having seen similar things many times. From the outside, though, a fast call looks like a leap, and people are wary of leaps they can't trace. So they push back, not always because they disagree, but because they have nothing to check.
Showing your work is advice most of us first heard about maths homework, and it applies here for the same reason: the answer alone can't be checked, and the steps can. Two or three lines of because turn your conclusion into something other people can engage with. They can follow it, test the part they're unsure of, and add what they know. Your call often comes back better.
The shape that tends to work is simple: here's what I saw, here's what I think it means, here's what I'd do. Adding what would change your mind finishes it. It tells people exactly what kind of disagreement would be useful, which is far more welcoming than an open invitation to argue. It also protects you. When a call turns out wrong, people remember whether you showed your reasoning and stayed open, more than they remember the miss.
Not every call needs the trail. Small, easily reversed decisions are better made quickly and quietly, and people who already trust your judgment in an area may find the reasons slow things down. Save it for calls that others have to act on, live with, or might reasonably see differently.
What to do next
Other simple things to consider
More in Working with others
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An exercise written by Truest, based on our experience. Last updated October 2, 2026. We sell a career membership; where that’s relevant above, we say so.