#13 - Decisions, Decisions!
25 May 24
Leaders are required to make decisions, that is ultimately what they are paid to do.
It's a skill that needs to be developed over time, and which relies on judgement and intuition. It also relies on the ability to simplify complexity, and to get to the nub of the actual issue.
The sooner this skillset is developed the better. This will then allow the leader to slowly build up a repository of experiences which compound over time. This makes decision making easier as you can draw upon these experiences to help you make better decisions.
Decide to learn how to decide. It will be the best decision you ever make!
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#13 - Decisions, Decisions!
What?
Whether we like it or not, one of the most absolute and foremost critical skills which a leader must possess is the ability to make sound decisions.
Along with communication, a leader will spend a large proportion of their time making decisions in one form or another. That is, decisions which will almost certainly be required of them by virtue of the authority vested in the position they hold within the organisation. Also, they will be required to assist in validating the proposed decisions put forward by those in their team.
With great power comes great responsibility! Leaders ultimately have accountability for the decisions made on their behalf. Even more so if responsibility has been formally flowed down through delegation to others.
Why?
Quite simply, leaders are paid to take decisions. Decisions will be required to ensure that the team is moving in the right direction which has been set by higher authority and in line with Company Objectives to maintain the Vision.
Arbitration may be required to ensure this remains the case if there are conflicting views and to ensure alignment across delivery areas.
Sound and considered decision-making is hard. It takes years of practice and experience to be able to develop the judgement and intuition required to ensure that the very best decisions can be made within the set constraints, and with the available information.
How?
Anyone who aspires to a position of leadership should get into the habit of being able to make sound decisions as soon as they can. The sooner this habit is embedded in their careers the easier it gets.
This is because decision-making relies on the development of judgement and to a certain degree, intuition, as well as being able to make sense of the information available. These skills take time to develop and hone. Problems may be wicked (complex and ambiguous) or tame (easier and seen before). Tame problems are easier to address and can use previous experience to solve them. Wicked problems will require innovative thought and introduce a high degree of complexity due to being typically multi-faceted. In both cases the ability to simplify complexity and get to the nub of an issue is key.
Additionally, timing has to be considered when making decisions. This is especially true where safety of personnel, operational or financial implications are involved.
So, when faced with a decision, think about the following:
- Do I need to make a decision right now? Or can I afford to wait until the facts become clearer? Is there a safety or operational imperative which requires a decision now to safeguard people, infrastructure or to save money?
- What would happen if I let things play out? Will the landscape change to a more favourable position over time?
- Is there a 'do nothing' option? Will the impact of any external factors change the nature of the problem so much that the need to make a decision is overtaken by events?
- Can I make a decision based upon the limited information I already have? What are the risks in doing this?
- In making any decision, what are the second and third order 'knock on' effects of that decision? Are any of them going to create an even more complex problem further down the line than the one I already have?
- Am I able to work up a number of courses of action? The luxury of being able to consider options is always better than just having one 'option'.
- Avoid indecision. Mostly, being decisive settles your team as a course of action is decided upon and briefed out. This reassures them that everything is under control.
- Once the decision has been made, evaluate its effectiveness. Has the course been corrected? Is another decision required?
In Summary
I hope that you enjoyed reading this newsletter and that it has given you food for thought.
Being able to make decisions comes with the territory of being a leader. The good news is that it does become easier over time. So the sooner you start to learn how to make decisions, the better it is. Your bank of experiences increases. This becomes useful further down the line as a repository upon which you will be able to draw.
Decide to learn how to decide now. It will be the best decision you make!
Have a great week!
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