Dianne WhitfordBeing able to make decisions is a key skill for leaders to have. This becomes especially important in a crisis or emergency situation. Being able to decide and then act quickly can mean the difference, literally, in lives and livelihoods saved or lost. As we are seeing play out in the world right now, decisions are not always about what to do, but what not to do. When to follow your gut, and when to bow to expert opinions. Deciding what to say, or what not to say. Today, I wanted to look at how to act more decisively – even when you’re not sure what to do.
The Thing About Decisions
There are two key facts about decisions that it’s important to get comfortable with, right up front.
- As a leader, you have to make them.
- Many of them will be wrong.
No one in the history of ever has made the exactly correct decision 100% of the time. There will always be a segment of the people you are leading that disagree with your decisions. The key is not to let fear of making the wrong decision paralyze you, and to make the best decision you can in the given situation, given the facts that you know at the time.
When I think about decision-making, there are a few foundational elements that I think about that I wanted to talk about today:
Get the Facts
The best decisions (even if they are not widely acclaimed) are based on facts. No one person has all the facts in a vacuum. Despite what we’d like to believe, no one knows everything. You need to gather the facts from a variety of sources so that you can begin to put together the big picture.
Understanding the facts also helps you understand the consequences of each option. We’ve all heard the old adage about the law of unintended consequences. I don’t think there’s a way to avoid all unintended consequences, but by gathering the facts, you can at least identify many of them.
Getting the facts is not about gathering opinions. It’s not about asking people what they think or feel; it is finding out what is true. For me, in many cases, that involves metrics and numbers. Data points. While it is helpful to know that most of my teammates think a particular course is a good idea, I want to understand the facts that reinforce those opinions.
It’s important to diversify your source of facts, as well. People tend to find and highlight the facts that support their own opinions. Therefore, it’s important to get a variety of facts so that you can, again, see the whole picture. Making decisions based on facts will at least ensure that you have a sound and solid basis for your decision.
Facts are a funny thing too, because a data point in and of itself isn’t conclusive. It matters how that data point was arrived at. Take, for example, a percentage point of 85%. On the surface, that sounds great. However, a survey of 20 people is a lot less conclusive than a survey of 1000 people. If your 85% is based on a survey of 20 people, then you may need to do more digging. When seeking to understand the facts, also seek to understand where they came from and what they are based on.
Get Out of the Echo Chamber
Heather talked about the echo chamber of social media, and it’s true in real life as well. We tend to surround ourselves with people that share our same opinions. What this means is that we don’t get challenged on our views as much as we maybe should be. When making decisions, this can be especially damaging.
The idea behind an echo chamber is that if you are locked in a room with a bunch of people that all share your opinions, you’re not getting anything new. You’re not getting a different viewpoint, or alternate facts that may change your opinion or influence your decision. Especially when you’re in a chamber with people that are just telling you what you want to hear.
For this reason, it’s important to solicit the thoughts of those that frequently disagree with you, and seek to understand the reasoning behind their disagreement. They may have facts you don’t have at your disposal, or are looking at the situation from a different lens. It doesn’t mean you have to end up agreeing with them (although you might) or that you have to become bosom buddies with them. Although, again, you might. You just need to open your eyes to viewpoints other than your own and look at the facts and opinions that may be different than yours.
I like to call people that challenge my views “thought partners”. These are people that present points of view that make me think. Discussing something with a thought partner is often difficult, especially if you feel defensive. If you’re talking with someone and feeling defensive, make sure you examine what it is about the points being raised that is putting your back up. Do you have facts that tell you this person is wrong? Or do you just have a fear of you being wrong?
Be Willing to Change Course
Changing course in the middle of a plan, even if it was hastily crafted, is challenging in a couple of ways. First, we have to overcome the tendency to think that a course correction means we chose the wrong path to begin with. This can be hard to swallow, especially if you have a fear of being wrong. That’s aside from the logistical challenge of changing instructions that may already be in full swing. However, not changing course once it’s clear that the path you’re on is no longer viable is worse.
A good leader is flexible, adaptable, and willing to change course when the data supports it. You don’t want to be a weather vane, changing direction with every breeze, but neither do you want to be the rock in the middle of the river that impedes progress.
Taking calculated risks to set a course, then correct it as needed, is a hallmark of a responsive and adaptable leader. It requires a willingness to be wrong, which can be uncomfortable. At the end of the day, though, acting decisively means embracing the discomfort and forging ahead anyway.
Take Accountability
One of the things I saw this week that I really appreciated was a statement made by Gov. Andrew Cuomo of New York. He said, “If you want to blame someone, blame me. There is no one else responsible for this decision.” He’s saying that you might be frustrated, you might not like the decision he made, and he is willing to shoulder the responsibility.
When a leader makes decisions, it’s important that he or she takes accountability for those decisions. Right or wrong. The power to make decisions comes with the responsibility of taking accountability for those decisions.
Some will agree with your decisions, and some won’t. That’s a fact of life. I do think, though, that when a leader takes accountability for a decision, it is worthy of respect. Plus, it’s the right thing to do.
Over to You
How did this land? Is there anything I missed? What other things do you struggle with when acting decisively?
Heather Abbe
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