“We have invested too much to kill this.”
Past investment has become the argument for future investment. The live decision is whether the original reason still holds, not whether leaving now would feel painful.
Recognise the situation
When the business cannot move.
You do not need to diagnose the problem before making contact. These are common signs that the visible discussion is no longer reaching the decision underneath.
Four business decision situations
“Two founders no longer agree.”
The disagreement may look personal while the real conflict sits in direction, authority or the standard by which the company will choose. Agreement is not the first requirement. A decision rule is.
“Everyone approved the strategy. Nothing changed.”
Approval did not alter priorities, ownership or resource allocation. The live decision is what the strategy now requires the company to stop, fund and hold someone accountable for.
“Growth is slowing. Every function has a different explanation.”
Each explanation protects a different response. The first decision is which evidence will govern the diagnosis before the company spends against several incompatible stories.