The One-Page Need Statement
Complete each sentence without using “digital transformation,” “innovation,” “scale,” “strategic,” or “hands-on” unless you define the observable meaning.
| Field | Working answer |
|---|---|
Business change |
During the next [TIME], the business must… |
Observed constraint |
Today this is limited by… Evidence:… |
Executive-sized decision |
The recurring cross-functional decisions are… |
Required capability |
The leadership intervention must create… |
Critical obligation |
While protecting… |
Alternative considered |
We considered [ROLE OR OPERATING CHANGE] and rejected or deferred it because… |
Decision urgency |
We need a decision by [DATE] because… |
Main unknown |
The fact most likely to change the role is… |
Quality test: a board member, current technical leader, and strong candidate should be able to disagree with a specific statement. If the need statement is too broad to challenge, it is too broad to guide a hire.