1-3-1 Method
Bring one problem, three viable options, and one recommendation
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Time to result
- ~days to results
- Steps
- 4
- Confidence
- 99%
The 1-3-1 Method changes how a team member escalates a problem. The first 1 is one clearly defined problem; mixed bundles must be separated so the team knows what decision is actually required. The 3 is three viable options developed through research rather than immediate upward delegation. The final 1 is the team member's recommended option. A leader can then approve, challenge, or refine a prepared decision instead of solving the employee's job from scratch. Repetition matters: Martell says he uses the prompt frequently in calls and Slack until it becomes part of the culture. Over time, many team members resolve issues during their own research and never need escalation, while the leader sees fewer but more consequential decisions.
Origin
Martell presents 1-3-1 as a high-impact, low-effort leadership tool. He illustrates it with an HR director who researched how to hire 12 people and found the answer without needing Martell to decide. Extracted from The Foundr Podcast.
Core principles
- 01Define one problem before discussing solutions
- 02Research multiple viable paths
- 03The problem owner should recommend a choice
- 04Decision-making should move toward the front line
How to run it
- 1
Define One Problem
Reduce the situation to one specific challenge that needs resolution. If the explanation contains several problems, separate them before moving on.
Pro tip Ask, 'What is the specific problem?' until the decision boundary is clear.
Watch out A vague bundle of symptoms will produce vague options.
- 2
Develop Three Options
Research three paths that could realistically solve the defined problem. Each option should be viable, not a token choice included to make another answer look better.
Pro tip Include materially different routes such as buying, hiring, or stopping an activity when relevant.
Watch out Do not escalate immediately merely because the answer is not already known.
- 3
Make One Recommendation
Choose the preferred option and explain which one should be pursued. Bring the complete 1-3-1 to the leader only when approval or useful input is still required.
Pro tip If research makes the answer obvious within your authority, act without creating an unnecessary meeting.
Watch out The recommendation does not override decision rights, budget limits, or genuine risk controls.
- 4
Repeat Until It Becomes Culture
Prompt team members to use 1-3-1 consistently across communication channels. The goal is to build decision capability and reduce routine escalation over time.
Pro tip Leaders should resist supplying the answer before the team member completes the method.
Watch out If leaders repeatedly take the problem back, the bottleneck remains at the top.
In the wild
An HR director told Martell he needed to hire 12 people in the next quarter but did not know how. Martell declined to supply the answer and asked him to complete a 1-3-1. After researching for a day, the director identified an obvious solution and no longer needed Martell's help.
→ The employee solved the challenge independently instead of transferring his job back to the leader.
Common mistakes
Bringing several problems as one
The first step fails if the supposed single challenge actually contains three or four separate decisions.
Asking the leader to do the research
Escalating before developing options keeps decision work at the top and prevents the employee from building judgment.
Offering options without a recommendation
The final recommendation is what turns research into ownership rather than merely passing a menu upward.
Is it for you?
Best for
It is best for managers and direct reports who repeatedly escalate underspecified problems without a proposed resolution.
Not ideal for
It is not ideal for emergencies where delay would be unsafe or for decisions the employee lacks authority or information to investigate.
From the transcript
“one clear problem”
“what are your three viable options”
“what's the one recommendation they have”
From the episode
24: Andy Sheats -The $100 Million Founder Who Didn’t Want to Start a Business