The Dangers of Hesitancy

The American Kennel Club describes the English Springer Spaniel as a “sweet-faced, lovable bird dog of great energy, stamina, and brains. Sports hunters cherish the duality of the working Springers: handsome, mannerly pets during the week, and trusty hunting buddies on weekends.”?

My grandfather raised Springers to accompany and assist him on hunting trips. They were beloved members of the family, but their primary purpose was to “find the bird.” An important part of the Springer’s work in the field was to be comfortable with the gunshot of the hunter. If the dog was terrified, he would be ineffective and a liability. Therefore, my grandfather would train the dogs by firing his gun during their meal times outside. If the dogs wanted to eat, they would have to learn to ignore the report of the rifle. This training was important so that the dogs would not hesitate to perform their duties in the field.?

In the past, I’ve struggled with hesitancy myself. It is a problematic and potentially career-ending issue in law enforcement if not addressed. The job is simply too dangerous and complex to not engage when necessary. In my case, it wasn’t that I was afraid of what to do, or that I didn’t know what to do. I was overly deferential to more experienced and senior officers and failed to take initiative on my own. At times, I hesitated, thereby diminishing the trust placed in me by my teammates and supervisors. Fortunately, I was able to repair this shortcoming through time, experience, gaining confidence, and by the gracious patience of mentors and friends.?

Hesitation can erode trust, ruin opportunity, and diminish effectiveness. We see that in the board room, the courtroom, the classroom, and elsewhere. I’m sure you can think of a time when you hesitated to act, and it turned out poorly.?

Let’s explore some of the main drivers of hesitancy:?

1. Fear

What are you scared of? Is it reasonable? What can be done now, or in advance, to mitigate that fear? People sometimes fear the consequences of their decisions. They are afraid to take the leap, though not for what will happen if they’re right, only if they’re wrong. A certain degree of fear helps keep us alive. The important part is to not let that fear paralyze your initiative.?

Remember Chris Voss’ book “Never Split the Difference.” Here was the quote I referenced in my Leadership Profile on Geno Auriemma about labeling fears:?

“In one brain imaging study, psychology professor Matthew Lieberman of the University of California, found that when people are shown faces expressing strong emotion, the brain shows greater activity in the amygdala, the part that generates fear. When they are asked the label the emotion, the brain activity moves to the areas that govern rational thinking. In other words, labeling an emotion - applying rational words to a fear - disrupts its raw intensity.”

2. Excessive Options?

Have you ever walked into an ice cream store where dozens of delicious flavors are laid out in front of you? Free samples! They’re all amazing, but you can only choose one flavor to fill your waffle cone. Chances are, you’ve actually felt a small degree of time and decision pressure in that situation. Each flavor is a perfectly acceptable option, but the choice feels more difficult than it is. The ugly alternative reality to this scenario is when you have no good options at all.?

In this instance, you simply have to make a choice and understand that inaction is more dangerous to you than a less-than-perfect choice. Voltaire said “Perfect is the enemy of good.”?

3. Lack of Self-Confidence

Self-doubt. Imposter syndrome. That little voice inside your head that tells you “You shouldn’t”, “you cannot”, or “Don’t.” Just as with fear, take stock of what’s driving this emotion. If you’re not confident, why? Most people are more capable than they think they are.?

There are a number of reasons why a person may not feel confident, leading to hesitation. Moving past that emotion in the moment is critical. You might ask someone for guidance, or seek additional perspectives. You might have time to research the problem you’re facing. It is up to the person to identify what about that decision or action is causing that reaction, and address it in the future. Just as with fear, you must ask “Where is this coming from?”, label it, and then act accordingly.?

4. Uncertainty

We’ve all been in this situation. Sometimes you just don’t know what to do. Your options are slim, none are feasible, let alone appealing. You can’t see any of them to their logical end. Almost every working professional, in every field and industry, is operating with some degree of uncertainty, especially in the post-COVID landscape. Uncertainty breeds anxiety, which clouds thinking, leading to irrational decisions.?

Address the low-hanging fruit first. Are there any absolute truths? What about quick, easy conclusions or decisions that you can break your problem into? Don’t underestimate the power of momentum.?

On the whole, pushing through a temporary barrier of hesitancy is achieved by focusing on the overarching, key challenge. What’s the most important thing? What problem are we trying to solve??

Hesitancy is Dangerous for Leaders

There are additional costs for leaders tasked with important decisions. If a team looks to their figurehead for guidance, courage, stability, and resolve, the expanding gaps between problems, decisions, and implementation can diminish the trust they’ve placed in their leader.?

Winston Churchill, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom during World War II and from 1951-1955, had one guiding principle that heavily influenced his leadership: to facilitate clear decisions and enable prompt, efficient execution of those decisions. It wasn’t enough to simply know the answer.?Quick and purposeful action was required, always.?

In 1940, Churchill faced a hugely consequential decision. After the Fall of France, there was great concern that the French Navy (a substantial force) would be utilized by the Axis powers. Churchill directed the French to either sail their ships to British ports or to the French West Indies. If they failed to comply, he would attack the ships to ensure that Hitler and Mussolini could not use them against the Allies. Churchill gave the French only hours to decide their course of action. Ultimately, the operation proceeded. The French ships were destroyed, with several hundred casualties.?

Churchill later wrote about the incident: “This was the most hateful decision, the most unnatural and painful in which I have ever been concerned.” Even so, Churchill knew that he had to act and did not hesitate to do so. Time pressure demanded action, and hesitancy could have had world-changing results. Had he not acted, his constituency and his allies would have considered him weak and ineffective during a critical time for leadership.?

The Most Anguishing Hesitation

We could look back across the span of known history and debate the great choices made and those left unexecuted. In my personal experience, I have yet to encounter a more sharp and lasting inaction than heartfelt words left unsaid.?

My grandfather (the same as mentioned above) lay in a hospital room after suffering a devastating stroke. I traveled across the country to see him, knowing that it may be our final time to visit with each other. I am grateful that in that short time with him, the last time I saw him on this earth, I did not hesitate to share how important he is to me.?

This being the professional medium that it is, I’ll close this article by saying this: Don’t leave words unsaid. Don’t hesitate to compliment and congratulate others when they deserve it. Defend your team. Reconcile, forgive, and seek harmony with people. Hug your family members, high-five your teammates, and be kind to everyone, yes, even yourself.?

Do it without delay; without hesitation. ?

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