timdevai /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
- Read the decision record
- Validate it has APPROVED status
- Apply freeze: write
freeze_until: YYYY-MM-DDto the decision record - Add to active-freezes index at
~/.claude/freezes/active.md - 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
Version: 1.0.0