Hello friend,

Every Thursday, I send a 4-minute breakdown of a framework that will help you navigate uncertainty with confidence. Think of it as a permission slip to step back from the chaos and think strategically for a moment. (If you are new around here, feel free to subscribe!)

So if there’s one thing I’ve learned from a career spent working in uncertainty, it’s this: the world won’t wait for us to have all the answers.

For those leading organisations and building movements in unpredictable environments, decision-making can feel like walking a tightrope. Funding shifts. Crises emerge. Strategies become outdated overnight. And if you’re flying solo, these debates never stop—they’re playing out in your head every minute of every day.

So how do we move forward when certainty is never guaranteed?

This week, I’m breaking down GESET—Good Enough for Now, Safe Enough to Try. It’s a simple but powerful framework that helps you act with confidence, avoid decision paralysis, and adapt as you go. I used it to design and launch the European Journalism COVID-19 Support Fund, which raised and distributed $3M USD in weeks. Was it perfect? No. But if we’d waited for all the data, it wouldn’t have launched at all—and 162 grantees across 35 countries would have missed out on critical funding.

I use GESET now as a social entrepreneur too—whether it’s deciding to launch an AI fundraising assistant or testing a new idea. The process is simple and involves two questions: Is this good enough for now? Is this safe enough to try?

Let’s get into it.

 ⏩ GESET ⏩

GESET is a decision-making principle designed to break perfectionism and overcaution by focusing on two key questions:

✅ Is this good enough for now? (Not flawless, but functional?)

✅ Is this safe enough to try? (No major harm if we test it?)

Rooted in Sociocracy 3.0 and championed by collaboratio helvetica, GESET helps organisations and individuals make decisions without getting lost in over-analysis.

When to use it

• You want to launch a new project but are worried about the damage that failure might cause.

• A meeting has turned into an endless debate over what might go wrong.

• You’re considering a new internal tool, but no one wants to commit.

• You’re debating whether to join a new social media platform.

• Your team is hesitant to update website messaging.

• You’ve rewritten an important email to a funder five times (I feel seen).

How it works

Step 1: Ask yourself (or your team/community):

• Do I have any immediate improvement suggestions?

• Would doing this harm us in any way?

If no to both, proceed—it’s Good Enough for Now and Safe Enough to Try.

Step 2: Separate objections from concerns

• Objections = Legitimate risks that could harm the organisation.

• Concerns = Preferences or worries, but not dealbreakers.

Focus on real risks while avoiding unnecessary delays over subjective concerns.

Step 3: Take action and set a review date

Treat every decision as a test rather than a permanent commitment.

Set a time to evaluate and adjust based on feedback.

Why it works

• Breaks decision paralysis. No more endless debates. You move, you learn, you refine.

• Encourages innovation. New ideas get tested in real-world conditions.

• Builds trust and collaboration. Teams feel empowered to take action.

• Saves time. Less talking, more doing.

This world [waves hands] constantly serves us shifting funding priorities, unpredictable policy changes, and emerging crises. For me, GESET provides a structured way to move forward despite this ambiguity and my (not inconsiderable) self-doubt.

🔮 FUTUREPROOFING 🔮

GESET is a powerful tool, but relying on it too much can create problems.

Constant short-term decision-making may prevent organisations from committing to long-term strategies, leading to instability or surface-level change. If every decision is treated as temporary, teams risk inconsistency, loss of credibility, and frustration from funders or partners who expect well-developed plans. Moving fast can also result in underdeveloped ideas that, if poorly executed, damage trust within communities.

Frequent iteration without clear communication can create fatigue, leaving staff and communities feeling disoriented. Marginalised groups—who already face uncertainty—may find constant shifts in programs unsettling, making it harder to build trust. The biggest risk, imho, is ignoring real objections in the rush to move forward.

therefore, in my experience, GESET works best when paired with regular review points, long-term thinking, and a willingness to adapt responsibly, ensuring that action is thoughtful rather than just reactive.

🪁 PARALLEL PLAY🪁

Go on, indulge yourself.

• Colin and Samir have a new interview with personal hero Jack Conte. YouTube is the second most visited website in the world. This is how it works. 

• One of my favourite small YouTubers right now is Ultra Sharp Films. This video on how to edit is an absolute masterclass.

• What Andrew Chen has learned interviewing critical hires over the last decade (e.g. a 30-minute interview is all you need)

🌊 WAVE GOODBYE 🌊

Some other things from me you might find helpful:

• I made a video about running and creativity.

• One of my free tools to help you fundraise.

• The Theory of Change archive (20 framework breakdowns and counting).

And - quick PSA - I have some coaching slots opening up in May.

I help leaders, entrepreneurs, and creators work through uncertainty, take on broken systems, and turn ideas into action. I’ve started, scaled, and sold organisations across start-up, non-profit, and corporate sectors. I've won awards for technological innovation, personally raised over €30m in philanthropic funding, and coached folks for over 500 hours on everything from community engagement to impact investments.

If you need strategic help with positioning, fundraising, product design, or organisational change, I’d love to work with you. Just hit reply!

Thanks for being here.

Adam

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