Are you swayed by the crowd?

Photo courtesy of Karen_O’D (Creative Commons)

It is tempting as a leader to make choices and decisions based on what your team, clients or customers want most. But that’s not always what is best for your company or organization.

Whether you are considering changing your hours, altering your process, or adding a new product line, it is important to that you evaluate all of your options instead of listening to the loudest and most urgent voices. The following steps may help you determine the best path in those situations:

• Input from different areas – Be sure to talk not to just the most vocal group wanting the change, but talk to each department or segment affected. Find out how the change will impact their area, whether that is an increase in phone calls or changes in how they will have to process. Ask a lot of questions!
• Consider all sides – Look at pros and cons for each option, and consider not just the immediate need, but what is currently working and what is frustrating those affected.
• Look at long term – Don’t just look for a quick fix. Be sure to look at long term affects, including cycles or seasons, and how the change will play out over months or years.
• Don’t be influenced by personalities – Remember that it’s business, not personal, so don’t let the characters involved be part of your decision.
• Take your time – Actually, take the time appropriate to the magnitude of the decision.  Don’t be rushed or drag your feet.

As a leader, you must be intentional in making those big decisions. While it is tempting to go with the requests of the majority, consideration must be given to all sides of the issue and all parties involved. Yes, change is difficult, but changing back is harder!

What decision have you made because of the crowd that you regretted later?

 

Dive in, the water’s fine (or do you make decisions too slowly?)

Photo courtesy of Easylocum (Creative Commons)

When I was on the swim team as a teenager, there were a lot of morning practices when the water was COLD, but we still had to get in and do our laps. There was one girl who would dangle her feet for a while, and then slide in up to her stomach, and then eventually, dip her shoulders in.

I found that instead of trying to get used to it a little at a time, it was best to just dive in and get that shock over with. Then for the rest of the practice, the water felt fine.

I have to admit that in many decisions I face in life, I act like that other girl and test the water by inching in when I should just take the plunge and jump – times when I delay instead of moving ahead.

I am a planner, so I tend to make sure everything is in place before I move on things, and that can mean missed opportunities. Plus, I prolong the discomfort by agonizing over a decision for a long period of time. I am amazed at the sense of relief when I have made a quick decision.

As a leader on your work team or in your family, you owe it to those you lead to be decisive. I have learned a few actions that can help you move your team forward:

• Worry doesn’t work: “dangling” too long causes us to become frozen by the indecision, and that can influence other decisions. We also paralyze our team because they cannot move forward.
• Determine your options: gather “enough” information to have several options. It doesn’t have to be exhaustive since seeking too many options can just be procrastination.
• Consider worst case scenarios: consider the worst that can happen with each option, and also with no decision. Not as bad as you thought, right?
• Make the decision: pick an option and go for it. Even if it’s not ideal, you are moving forward and can adjust from there.

As you get more comfortable with the decision-making process, the timeframe for gathering your options and looking at the worst case will shorten, so your resolution speed will increase.

On an individual level, you will be more productive and less agitated by indecision hanging over you.

On a work or group level, you can get your team involved by asking them to bring you the options for a decision, and asking their input. What a trust building exercise that would be, especially as you teach them what you consider before making a decision.

In what area(s) of your life do you need to dive in and make quicker decisions?