Why Smart Climate Founders Still Make Bad Decisions

Smart CEOs make bad decisions all the time. Often, the problem isn't intelligence; it's solving the wrong problem.

This minisode explores the Double Diamond framework, a decision-making tool that helps climate CEOs avoid premature conclusions and improve strategic choices.

• The first diamond: discover and define the problem — Many leaders jump straight into execution mode. The Double Diamond encourages CEOs to first expand their understanding of the challenge before narrowing it to the real problem worth solving.
• The second diamond: develop and deliver solutions — Once the problem is clearly defined, leaders generate multiple options, evaluate tradeoffs, and then commit to a solution.
• Why founders get trapped — Climate entrepreneurs are often rewarded for speed and action. That can create a tendency to lock onto the first plausible explanation or solution.
• Applications across climate tech — Hiring decisions, fundraising strategy, product-market fit, customer segmentation, project development, and market entry all benefit from spending more time in discovery.
• A practical question for CEOs — "Are we debating solutions before we've agreed on the actual problem?"

The core lesson: many costly mistakes occur because teams converge too quickly. The Double Diamond creates deliberate divergence before convergence, helping leaders avoid solving symptoms while missing root causes.

👉Get the written summary:

https://entrepreneursforimpact.substack.com/p/why-smart-climate-founders-still

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