One of the distinguishing characteristics of leaders is the ability to make a decision. Making a decision literally means to “cut off” other courses of action. It is not uncommon to watch a Leadership Team struggle to make a decision.
Enter 10 do’s and don’ts for great decision making:
- Do not rule by consensus. Jim Collins, the author of Good to Great, is quoted as saying, “No major decision we’ve studied was ever taken at a point of unanimous agreement.” Consensus management does not work. Too often when we look for team consensus, it means we are going to wait until everyone agrees. The result—our decisions are usually too late and often equally disagreeable to everyone. If everyone has been heard during a discussion, and not everyone agrees with the decision, it is time for the leader to step in and break the tie.
- Do not play small. Many times a decision sounds simple, yet is not easy to implement. Don’t back down and take an easy way out.
- Do be decisive. Sit up, set your feet on the floor and don’t look back because we’ve got work to do.
- Do not rely on hearsay. Get the facts and current information so you fully understand the situation and the issue you are solving.
- Do fight for the greater good. Leave your ego, title, and historical viewpoint outside the meeting room, and make the best decision for the company.
- Do solve real problems. Not the ones you can’t impact as a team or as a company.
- Do make a decision. Your only choices are to live with a situation, end it, or change it.
- Do decide quickly. Drawing out the decision creates unnecessary pain and suffering.
- Do enter the danger. Not every decision is easy to address. Set aside your fear and become vulnerable.
- Do try something. It is better to propose a solution and revise it later than it is to do nothing.
Making good decisions requires patience and practice. With time, you and your team will find it easier to have important discussions and make impactful decisions. My buddy Yoda summed up decision making very simply when he said, “Do or Do Not Do. There is no try.”
I hope you’ll make the decision to complete the consult form below to have a one-on-one phone conversation with me. And after our conversation, I hope you’ll decide you want to move forward. There will be no pressure to do so of course, but I’ll answer all your questions and give you all of the information you need to make that decision. Success results from a series of good decisions. I hope you will make your next one with me.
