Is Indecision Killing You As A Leader?
Making the right decision(s) as a leader can make or break you.
The quicker you realize the team depends on your leadership to move forward, the more you can embrace your role.
Making the right decision is tough.
And although you won't bat .1000 it's important to be decisive and not second guess yourself.
Look at it from the flip side: nobody likes an indecisive leader.
That doesn't mean you take the burden of decision-making solely on your shoulders.
But the reality is: the buck stops with you for the outcome of the decision made.
Once again, not a favorable illustration of a leader's job, but a real one.
Indecision comes from fear of failure, lack of confidence, or too little information just to name a few.
Yet rarely is there a situation where the above-mentioned is covered entirely.
As a leader, people are counting on you.
That pressure can create diamonds or burst pipes.
Isn't that why leaders get paid the big bucks (or not enough)?
So how do you become a more decisive leader?
There are two main factors: information and speed.
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Rushing is not the same as efficiency, but make no mistake if you take too long to make a decision there are definite consequences.
Being decisive comes easier to some than others.
For those who tend to be indecisive, focus on creating a long-term body of work.
Consistency is key here.
You're going to make mistakes.
When you do, take responsibility and move on.
Perfection isn't expected of any leader.
In fact, if that's your goal you're setting yourself up for failure.
Most indecision lies between your ears.
Hindsight is 20/20, so never expect to have all the factors laid out to make a great decision.
You have to do your best with what's given.
That's the opportunity and ownership of a leader all wrapped up into one.
Embrace it decisively.
Empowering Engineers & Advancing Careers | Talent Acquisition, Blogger, Podcast Guest, Conference Speaker | Hiring those Built to Succeed in Control Systems Engineering for Thermo Systems
2 年Excellent!
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2 年Great article Scott I love the reminder that perfection isn't expected of any leader. I find it's something that many leaders struggle with.
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2 年Loved the concept of a "long-term body of work." As the saying goes: Perfectionism is the killer of progress... Reframing a project as a long-term body of work takes the pressure off because ... strides being made, actions in the world, words on paper (or screens lol) --- aka a body of work --- can be seen as a work in progress ... "it's not finished yet." Just small actions, decisions, piece by piece. And yes: "Consistency is key." Love it!
Chief of Staff, People Strategy, Change & Transformation, Business Management, HSBC, KPMG, Qualified Chartered Accountant
2 年I love decision making, great points in here about what holds people back Scott. Indecision stagnates organisations and is really demotivating, disengaging and uninspiring for employees. Especially as they can’t make some decisions and are relying on leaders to own this. It’s better to make a decision, and if wrong, learn and move on, than make no decision at all.
Passionate Entrepeneur
2 年I really enjoyed the article and the points you have reached. Being a leader in a company you have to be ok with being hated. Just do what you get paid to do and do it well and often.