Embrace the 80% Solution

You're working on a problem with someone and you both propose a different solution.

You think your solution is better.

What should you do?

What is the 80% solution?

The 80% solution describes someone's plan that's only 80% as good as your plan.

Their plan may be less smart, not future-proofed, inefficient, or not perfectly scalable. It doesn't mean their solution is useless. Their solution may, in fact, be good. Just not as good as yours.

A 50% solution is probably a bad solution.

But an 80% solution is acceptable.

Accept the 80% solution

Don't fight, argue, or debate over which solution is best.

If your colleague or direct report has an 80% solution, go with it. The solution is good enough and you can improve it in the future if you need to. An imperfect solution implemented now is better than your perfect solution implemented after a debate.

Not only can you iterate faster when you accept their solution, you gain leadership capital.

Reasons to accept the 80% solution

There are too many reasons to yield to their solution.

You will:

Build goodwill.
Conform to influence.
Signal that you're collaborative.
Make your collaborator feel good about their solution.
Prove that you care about team success, not your success.

Ultimately, you let your collaborator feel that they are in control and have the power. They feel like they've won and that they are accepted. Their ego gets a boost.

You've basically done them a favor and when you do a favor for someone, they are likely to reciprocate in the future.

Accept the 80% solution often enough and others will be willing to yield to your influence when it matters.

Give to others first.

Get what you need later.