The 90-Second Situational Reset

When things go sideways, most leaders react fast — too fast. They jump to conclusions, spin up the team, or commit resources before they even understand what problem they’re actually facing.

In every combat zone I worked in, we had a rule:

“If the picture is unclear, stop. Reset. Reassess.”

We used a micro-drill that takes 90 seconds and prevents bad decisions from becoming catastrophic ones. You can use it in any boardroom or workplace today.

THE 90-SECOND RESET DRILL

1. Strip the Emotion (20 seconds)

Ask out loud:
“What do we know happened, and what did we interpret?”

Leaders confuse those two constantly.
Facts are solid — interpretations are guesses wearing camouflage.

2. Clarify the Real Problem (30 seconds)

Here’s the truth most people avoid:

Most problems aren’t actually the problem.

They’re symptoms of the real issue.
Ask:
“If I had to summarize this in one sentence, what is the actual contact?”
Not the drama. Not the noise. The contact.

3. Identify Time Pressure (20 seconds)

This question alone can save projects, relationships, and launches:

“What’s the actual deadline — not the panicked one?”

Over half of “emergencies” are timeline illusions.

4. Decide What Not to Do (20 seconds)

This is the hardest part for most leaders:

“What will we not respond to right now?”

You don’t win by doing everything.
You win by doing the right thing at the right tempo.

WHY THIS WORKS

It’s the same principle we used in targeting when a mission changed suddenly or new intelligence dropped mid-op. You pause just long enough to gain clarity — then you move with purpose.

When your team sees you run the 90-Second Reset, something changes:
They go from reactive → disciplined.
From chaotic → coordinated.
From emotional → effective.

And that’s the goal.

If you want the advanced version of this drill, including the A⁴ rapid loop we used in high-tempo operations, it’s inside the weekly TraceIntel Dispatch briefings.