freeze

/cs:freeze — Cooldown Lock on a Decision

Command: /cs:freeze <decision-path> <days>

Locks a decision for a defined cooldown period. During the freeze, the chief-of-staff router refuses to re-litigate the decision unless a kill criterion explicitly triggers.

Inspired by gstack's /freeze and /guard safety primitives — adapted from code-scoping to strategic-scoping.

When to Use

Founders are pattern-matchers; pattern-matching after a tough decision often produces a reversal that's actually just decision fatigue. The freeze enforces a discipline:

• After any irreversible or high-cost-to-reverse decision (fundraise, layoff, market entry)

• After a split-vote boardroom (preserve the call against second-guessing)

• After a founder gut-feel override of unanimous advisor consensus (let it run)

• During a personnel transition (lock the strategy so the new exec can execute, not redebate)

Default Freeze Periods

| Decision type | Default freeze |
|---|---|
| Fundraise round size / lead choice | 30 days |
| Pricing change | 60 days |
| Market entry / exit | 90 days |
| Layoff / RIF | 30 days |
| Strategic pivot | 90 days |
| Personnel (exec hire / fire) | 60 days |
| M&A LOI | 30 days |
| Custom | specify in command |

Workflow

1. Read the decision record
2. Validate it has APPROVED status
3. Apply freeze: write freeze_until: YYYY-MM-DD to the decision record
4. Add to active-freezes index at ~/.claude/freezes/active.md
5. cs-chief-of-staff router now refuses to re-route this topic to the boardroom until:
- The freeze period expires, OR
- A kill criterion explicitly triggers

Output

The decision record is updated in place:

# Decision: <title>
...
Status: FROZEN
Frozen until: YYYY-MM-DD
Reason for freeze: <text>
Override condition: Kill criterion <name> triggers OR founder issues /cs:unfreeze with stated reason

The active-freezes index is updated:

# Active Freezes
Updated: YYYY-MM-DD
| Decision | Frozen until | Override condition |
|---|---|---|
| <decision title> | YYYY-MM-DD | <kill criterion or /cs:unfreeze> |

Override

To unfreeze before the period ends, the founder runs:

/cs:unfreeze <decision> <reason>

The unfreeze is logged in the decision history (preserved permanently). Forced overrides create a paper trail that surfaces at post-mortem.

Auto-Override

If a kill criterion in the decision triggers, the freeze auto-releases and the chief-of-staff routes immediately to /cs:post-mortem. The freeze does not protect against reality; it protects against impulse.

Why This Beats "Just Don't Re-Decide"

Founders have authority. Without an explicit lock + log, every wobble produces a "let's discuss this again" — which is exhausting for advisors and erodes the value of the boardroom. The freeze is a process, not a rule; it logs every override so the post-mortem can audit founder discipline.

Routing

• /cs:unfreeze — explicit early release

• /cs:post-mortem — auto-triggered if kill criterion fires

• /cs:boardroom — blocked until unfreeze or expiry

Related

• Skill: decision-logger

• Agent: cs-chief-of-staff — enforces freezes in routing

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Version: 1.0.0