Leaders have to make decisions. Leaders also like to make decisions. I’ve heard it said that the leader is the “chief decider.” Here’s a few things that MATTER when making decisions.
PRE-MAKE DECISIONS
Lots of decisions can be pre-determined. This enables leaders to easily make some decisions. Here’s some decisions that I have already determined.
No lunches. I don’t routinely accept lunch meetings. I have learned that usually those meetings last a couple hours and most of it is me being taken hostage and the actually meeting portion could have been accomplished in a few minutes in my office or on the phone.
Uniform. I have a clothing uniform that I wear daily. It’s easy to dress every day and I waste no energy in making that decision. Many people have done this (Einstein, Steve Jobs, The President, Mark Zuckerberg…)
Meals: Being a disciplined person I have already know what I am going to eat often. For example, on the rare occasion when I do have a lunch appointment at a menu-based restaurant I always order grilled chicken and a side of broccoli. I don’t even have to look at the menu.
TIMING MATTERS:
The art of decision making is knowing when to make a decision. Don’t make a decision until you have to make a decision. If you make every decision quick you will make some bad decisions. If you are pressured into making a decision it’ll usually lead to you being on the wrong end of the deal. Just because someone wants you to make a decision immediately doesn’t mean you have to.
I’m also a believer in making decisions in the morning. After a good nights sleep your brain is well rested and sharpest. Attack your hardest decisions in the morning, if possible. this is also why I have pre-made the decision about what I wear each day. I simply don’t want to waste brain cells on that each day.
COUNCIL MATTERS:
Some decisions are easy, others are not. Leaders need to know when they need council and when they do not.
Wisdom oriented decisions require council. A wisdom-oriented decision is one in which you are deciding “what is best.”
Have Godly council. I have an advisory team you should too. When I am surrounded by wise and godly people I am able to make the right decision 100% of the time. Don’t underestimate that. It’s a sure fire way to make the right decisions.
DATA MATTERS
You need formal data. Finance reports, Costs, Dates, etc…
You need informal data. This is found though conversations. A wise leader knows this informal data is just as important as the formal data.
CONSENSUS DOES NOT MATTER
You do not need consensus. Obtaining consensus may be ideal but it may not be helpful. When you work for consensus you often settle for compromise . Wise leaders know that too often you cannot accommodate everyone. Sometimes its nice to have consensus but sometimes the leader needs to make the call. Sometimes waiting for consensus is an indicator that the leader is afraid to make a decision.
OPTIONS MATTER
Options are a must. The more complicated the decision the better it is to have options. I find that two options are never enough. Real creativity doesn't tend to happen until there’s 3 or more options on the table.
VISION MATTERS
Know your vision. Filter all your decisions through a) What you are trying to do and b) Why you are trying to do it. This makes it quite simple to make decisions.
CONSEQUENCES MATTER
The decisions you make create a culture that your people live in. Your decisions impact lives either positively or negatively. You are responsible for their livelihood, the daily environment, etc… Lead with this in mind.
Bad decisions erode leadership. Everyone will make a bad decision on occasion. But if you are consistently making bad decisions those whom you lead will lose confidence in you. Trust isn’t earned, it is given to leaders at the onset. But a lead can un-earn (if that’s a word) trust through consistent bad decisions.
HECK YEAH
An easy gauge to making a quick decision is whether your first response is “Yes” or “Heck Yeah!” If your response if just a yes…then keep thinking it over. If it’s a Heck Yeah! then your decision is made.
CHESS OR PING PONG
This idea is simply about recognizing what season you are in. If you are in a chess season then you can take your time to make a decision. During chess season you can gather data, have meetings, fast and pray, etc… But during ping pong season you have no time to deliberate, you have to respond. A wise leader knows which season they are in. A good example has been during the corona virus season. We went from chess season to ping pong season over night. All of a sudden leaders had to make decisions rapidly without time to convene with boards or do due diligence. The key being successful in ping pong season is that you are prepared for it mentally and intellectually and you have the trust of your organization.
