Tag: decision

We were in crisis management mode. I briefed the leader and her team about the situation, the options available, and our recommendation. After the briefing, she asked her leadership team for their thoughts. Most of them concurred. “How long do I have to make this decision?” she asked. We need a decision now. She approved the recommendation and we moved into execution mode. The crisis was averted. This leader was well prepared to handle this situation because she always asked insightful questions when making decisions.

I believe that all leaders want to make good decisions

All The Way Leadership! believes that strong leaders know how to make good decisions. They usually make good decisions for their teams. Based on my experience it is because strong leaders ask good questions. Below you will find four insightful questions (IQs) that strong leaders ask before making a decision.

IQ#1- How long do you have to make the decision?

This question is crucially important for any leader to consider. You only get so much time to make decisions. There is a big difference between having a few minutes, several hours, a day, a week, a month, or even longer. Make sure you understand how long you have so that you spend the time wisely. If the deadline is tight move quickly. If you have plenty of time don’t squander it and have to make a last-minute decision because you procrastinated.

Strong leaders make timely and informed decisions

Strong leaders make the most of the time they have when making decisions. They move quickly when necessary. They take more time when they have it, or if they have to make a decision with serious consequences. I cannot count on my hands how many times I watched a leader wait forever before considering their options and selecting one. For any leader, if you and your team are always making last-minute decisions then you have a process problem that needs attention, or you fail to ask this insightful question when given the opportunity.

IQ#2 – How big is this decision?

The size of the decisions you make matters. The bigger the impact the more time you should use to make the decision. Jeff Bezos believes leaders should not use a one size fits all approach. Many small decisions you can make quickly while others may take more analysis. In some situations, you will not have much time available before moving forward. Do the best you can to get input from others for big decisions. Don’t sweat the small stuff. Decide and move ahead.

Strong leaders get more data, perspectives, and feedback for big decisions

Leaders need to get feedback from their stakeholders before they make a big decision. The general rule of thumb – the bigger the decision the more data, perspectives, and feedback you should gather before making it. It is critical that you get inputs from others in order to move your team forward after the decision is made.

IQ#3 – Should team members and other stakeholders be involved in the decision?

The short answer is yes, as much as possible. My recommendation is that you walk them through the decision-making process, and answer any questions along the way. It will get real for your team the closer you get to making the decision. Some days, you will not have enough time to include your team members or other stakeholders. In this case, inform them about the decision as soon as possible after it is made and answer questions then.

Strong leaders don’t make all decisions alone

Never make all your decisions alone, even if you make great decisions most of the time. This misstep sends a clear message to others that you do not value their perspectives, expertise, or insights. If you choose this path, you will be limited to your own thinking and experience. At a minimum be sure to bounce your thoughts off others to make sure you are not making a big mistake.

IQ#4 – Should I ask for guidance from my boss before making the decision?

The right answer is hell yes if it is a big decision. It will keep you aligned with your boss and give you top cover. Besides your boss may provide helpful guidance that you will not get unless you ask for it. For smaller decisions, you may not need guidance from your boss. In fact, I believe that strong leaders make as many decisions as possible at their level to avoid bothering their boss with trivial details. Lastly, it is not uncommon for a leader to mistake who owns the decision. When you talk with your boss about the decision, get clarity so that you do not waste your energy on decisions that are not yours to make, or have already been made for you.

Take the time to ponder insightful questions

Strong leaders understand the importance of making good decisions. They ask insightful questions. They confirm how much time they have to make decisions. Strong leaders assess the size of the decision based on its impact. They include others when making big decisions, and get guidance from their boss to make sure they are aligned. Be that kind of leader.

Whenever you see a successful business, someone once made a courageous decision.

Peter Drucker

ATW! is designed to make you a better leader

I hope you join me on this journey to raise the next generation of leaders. The world is in desperate need of more great leaders. Women and men who lead with confidence, clarity, and creativity. It’s time to become the leader that your world needs. Let’s go All The Way!

All the Way Leadership!

A few months ago I wrote about the fact that strong leaders make good decisions for their teams. The next series of blogs will describe in more detail how to make a good decision. This month we will begin with a simple process to use for making decisions.

In any moment of decision, the best thing you can do is the right thing, the next best thing is the wrong thing, and the worst thing you can do is nothing.

President Theodore Roosevelt

Some leaders are not good when it comes to making decisions

Years ago, I worked for a leader who did not know how to make good decisions. In fact, he struggled to make any decisions. Our team spent hours, days, and weeks waiting for this leader to make decisions so that we could move forward. The organization put this leader in charge of an important project. He waffled with every decision. This leader did not know what he was doing and we did not deliver. It was a painful experience for all of us and did not end well for this leader.

The leader who replaced him knew how to make good decisions

A new leader was put in charge. This leader knew how to make decisions. She gathered the team to decide on the overall approach so that we could get moving. She followed a standard process for making decisions. Even though all team members did not agree with every decision we were able to get to the finish line. A final product was delivered that was well-received. I watched in wonder as she turned around a bad situation in a month. It was a pleasure working for a leader who knew how to make good decisions.

A tool to help you make a decision

As a leader, it is important that you know how to make a decision. When I was in the military we were trained in military decision-making to be better leaders. In the civilian world, I recommend you follow a similar process. The diagram found below shows a standard decision-making process. On the left is the military model. The right is a civilian translation of the process. It is simple to understand.

Use this 8-step process for making decisions

1. Identify the problem – what are you trying to solve?
2. Establish decision criteria – what factors will you use to make the decision?
3. Weight decision criteria – what is most important when making the decision?
4. Generate alternatives – what are the different ways you can solve the problem?
5. Evaluate the alternative – what are the plusses and minuses of the different options?
6. Choose the best alternative – make the decision based on your analysis.
7. Implement the decision – move forward with the decision and make it happen.
8. Evaluate the decision – was it a good decision or not, in retrospect?

An example of bad decision making

Decades ago I worked for a commander who was not afraid to make decisions. But, he consistently made bad ones, especially when it came to discipline. He graduated from a small military college, not West Point nor the Citadel. There he learned the questionable principle that you punish everyone when anyone makes a mistake. That approach may work in the make-believe world he experienced during his college days, but it certainly does not work well in the real US Army. This fact did not bother him. Instead, he kept punishing the whole unit for the infractions of a few. In general, I found his discipline decisions annoying but was not overly concerned.

He continued making bad decisions

One day our unit experienced a serious incident. Special equipment was missing. We went into lockdown to find the item. After many intense hours of searching it was finally located. One soldier was mad at our commander regarding all the discipline and decided to fight back by trying to steal something. Our Commander went ballistic. My fellow leaders and I recommended he punish the person responsible severely, but not involve anyone else. He ignored our counsel and punished every single soldier in our unit. I received an official letter of reprimand along with all my peers. As you might imagine the commander’s decision was not well received by any of us.

A person who has been punished is not less inclined to behave in a given way; at best, he learns how to avoid punishment.

B.F. Skinner

No one supported this leader when he needed them the most

After that horrible decision, the commander paid the price. He lost everyone’s trust. In the not-too-distant future, something happened that called into question our commander’s conduct. A serious allegation was made against him – lying to receive a personal award. His boss launched an investigation that included interviews with all his subordinates. No one supported him, nor spoke a positive word on his behalf. They threw the book at him. The commander was fired in shame and sent away. His boss was wise enough to know that you only punish those responsible, not everyone.

What about you?

Do you know how to make good decisions? Do you follow a clearly defined process when making decisions? If not, it is time to learn how. If so, you will enjoy the next few blogs. We are going to explore this topic in detail to include points to ponder, practical tactical tips, and lessons learned based on decades of experience.

ATW! is designed to make you a better leader

I hope you join me on this journey to raise up the next generation of leaders. The world is in desperate need of more great leaders. Women and men who lead with confidence, clarity, and creativity. It’s time to become the leader that your world needs. Let’s go All The Way!

All The Way Leadership!