Yes, No, Maybe...

Yes, no, maybe...

In the movie, The Wizard of Oz, Dorthy is swept up into a tornado and deposited in the mystical land of Oz. On her way to meet the Wizard in the Emerald City, she comes to a fork in the Yellow Brick Road. Uncertain of her direction, she asks her dog, Toto, which way they should go.

She engages in conversation with a Scarecrow, who tells her, "Pardon me, this way is a very nice way...It's pleasant down that way, too...of course, some people do go both ways." As he talks, he points this way, and that way, and both ways.

To which Dorthy asks, "Are you doing that on purpose, or can't you make up your mind?" The Scarecrow's response is classic, "That's the trouble, I can't make up my mind. I haven't got a brain."

The Scarecrow struggled with indecision. By definition, the inability to make decisions quickly. And for some people, it's the inability to make decisions...period! It's as if they, like the Scarecrow, don't have a brain...or have chosen not to use the one they have.

Indecision is a HUGE problem in society right now, and a major contributor to the lack of productivity and success people are experiencing in life. SurePayroll estimates the productivity loss to business due to indecision at $1.8 Billion annually.

That's a LOT of missed opportunities!

When you can't make a decision, you find yourself stranded. You can't move forward. You're stuck. In essence, you've come to the proverbial fork in the road and you can't choose to go left, go right, or keep going straight ahead. You've become the Scarecrow, hanging on a post in a cornfield, pointing this way and that way, and both ways.

Decision-making is essential to effective leadership, and when leaders struggle to make decisions, the organization suffers. When team members struggle with indecision, productivity and profitability suffer.

If we want to be more productive, we have to be more decisive. So, we need to have a better understanding of the triggers that lead to indecision so we can recognize them when they occur, and have a plan or a process in place to mitigate, resolve, or avoid them altogether.

Three of the main contributors to indecision are:

1. Fear of failure
2. Lack of confidence
3. Lack of Information

Leaders go first. They venture into uncharted territory. Anytime you're attempting something new or different, there is an element of fear involved. You're doing something for the first time, and you could fail. And if you've experienced failure in the past, your brain (which loves what's familiar) continues to bring this up when you face similar circumstances or situations - feeding and amplifying the fear.

In the movie, "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade", the swashbuckling explorer found himself facing three challenges protecting the Holy Grail. Indiana Jones emerges from a crevice only to be halted by a deep chasm with no visible means to cross. His dad's research into Grail lore said, "Only a leap from the lion's head will he prove his worth."

The risk of failure was real. Indecision played out as Jones questioned what his options were. It was only when he took the proverbial leap from the lion's head did he discover a bridge, invisible to the naked eye, that provided safe passage across the chasm.

Black Belt Leaders understand there are times they will be scared. They choose to move forward anyway.

The second contributor to indecision is a lack of confidence. When we doubt ourselves, our abilities, and our self-worth, we hit the pause button on our decision-making ability. Imposter syndrome sets in and as a result we sabotage our own momentum, halting our progress and stifling our productivity.

In my online book, MASTER Your Self-Confidence, I teach my readers how to silence that nagging little voice in the back of their heads, holding them back from success. One of the tips I share in this book (and the online course based on the book) is to make yourself do it anyway. Take a moment and reflect on your past accomplishments/ Recall the times you were afraid and took decisive action anyway. Now let this same tenacious spirit boost your confidence so you make yourself do it anyway, and keep moving forward.

Indecision can also show up due to a lack of information. Sometimes, you don't yet have enough information to make a decision. But indecision is more often seen in what is referred to as "paralysis by analysis". It's a form of self-sabotage where you mistakenly believe you have to evaluate every possible variation and alternative before you can take action.

Let me let you in on a secret. Leaders make imperfect decisions every day - but they make a decision anyway. Leaders don't wait for the information to come to them. They go find the information they need to make the best decision with what they have. They move forward, and adapt and adjust as additional insights are revealed.

Here are five action tips for overcoming inflation:

1. Be afraid, and act anyway. Don't let the fear of what might happen, or what has happened in the past prevent you from making a decision and taking action.
2. Rule your emotions. Be conscious of what you're feeling. Fear, anger, guilt, or anxiety are negative emotions that can hijack your decision-making.
3. Start small. If you're struggling with poor decision-making, or the inability to make decisions, start with the small stuff. Build your confidence by creating some quick wins and train your brain to stop waiting and start deciding.
4. Make an imperfect decision. Act on the information you have on hand. Don't think you have to have all the data or examine all the possible outcomes before you choose to act. Take action, start moving, and make course corrections as you learn new information.
5. Perspective matters. Many decisions we put off aren't life-changing. But when we put things off, we put our lives on pause. So put things in perspective. Ask yourself if this decision (whatever it is) will really matter next week, next month, next year, or ten years from now.

The Scarecrow in the Wizard of Oz discovered he had a brain after all. His prompt, decisive action throughout the movie helped rescue Dorthy from the Wicked Witch and eventually get her to the Wizard and home to Kansas.

He had simply chosen not to employ it and make decisions for most of his life.

Don't let this version of the Scarecrow be you.

Be decisive.