Decisions, Decisions

My first job as a teenager was selling tickets at the small movie theater in my hometown. It was an easy job; the transactions were simple and straightforward.

After a few months, the theater owner offered me a promotion, to manage the candy counter. Clearly I was on the fast track to the executive suite!

While I can look back on that experience and chuckle, I also recall the revelation that occurred – now I had to make decisions. My job was no longer straightforward and repetitious.

So what does that have to do with coaching and guiding leadership teams, you ask? Here are a few thoughts.

Leadership team members tend to be the highest paid employees in a company.  Contrary to popular belief, it isn’t because they “climbed the corporate ladder” or simply the result of having an impressive title. They are the highest paid employees because they are entrusted to make decisions – every day.

A leadership team must be in full agreement about the direction in which they are taking the company so they can make decisions for the greater good. They have to learn what data is needed to make a sound decision. They often need to examine several perspectives, consider alternatives, and forecast potential outcomes before arriving at a final decision. To complicate things further, most decisions are made in the face of a looming deadline.

Leaders make decisions that affect the future of the company; that impact every employee and their families, influence their vendors and their respective companies, their community, and entire industries. Leadership decisions can change the arc of careers and personal and professional satisfaction.

Making decisions is a learned skill that requires mastery and focus. It requires a leadership team to define a clear vision for the company, champion it with their teams, and use that vision as a guidepost for all initiatives and decisions going forward.

If you’d like to improve your own decision making skills or that of anyone on your team, I’m happy to help. Simply fill out the consult form below to schedule a free 15-minute phone consultation with me. Together we can change and improve the way you make choices within your business to keep it moving forward