As a leader, what is your process for tough decision making?
Based on the conversations I’ve been having with leaders, executives, and managers, knowing what to do—and how to do it best—has become more important than ever before. We need a better process to manage in uncharted territories.
Think about it: simple systems are extremely predictable and require few interactions or interventions. And while complicated systems have many moving parts, their operations are predictable; there are clear patterns. Complex systems may operate in patterned ways, but their interactions are continually changing. As a result, they require wise leadership to continuously assess and adjust for new data, as well as all of the possible consequences of a change.
To be sure, wise leaders understand that they have limits in their knowledge and wisdom, but they can use a process to manage complexity.
The Process
- Identify subject matter experts and resources. A wise leader relies on data, but also ensures that the right questions are being asked, to (and by) the right experts.
- Collect accurate, verifiable, and reliable information. Recognize interests, goals, and values to create context for the data.
- Evaluate and annotate findings. While you may be tempted to discard information that may be unreliable, incomplete, biased, etc., wise leader save the information with their notations for future reference.
- Create time and space to reflect on the information. Examine it with your mind, gut, and heart, by asking yourself:
- “What is socially just?”
- “Who stands to benefit the most?”
- “Who is most at risk?”
- “How will this impact the future?”
- “What are the impacts today?”
- “What is the right thing to do, right now?”
Sometimes, taking more time before acting is the wisest thing to do. To be sure, action is important. But give yourself time to embrace the elements that make you wise, as well as the paradoxes:
- Recognize your limits, and ask for help when needed. Act with humility and courage.
- Acknowledge feelings, practice temperance in expression, and strengthen your emotional resilience.
- Allow time and space for others, as well as self. Be patient, forgiving, and show mercy.
- Practice compassion and fairness. View situations as they are, with a dispassionate, clear eye of human nature.
- Demonstrate your ability to cope with adversity: be brave, persistent, and act with integrity.
- Embrace ambiguity, practice gratitude, and cultivate hope that more shall be revealed.
When this topic comes up with my coaching clients, we discuss how common “foggy brain” is right now. After all, we are charting a course through a global pandemic. Using this as a decision making checklist can help you navigate through the fog.
What do you think? What is your process for tough decision making? I’d love to hear from you. I can be reached here, on LinkedIn, or give me a call: 561-582-6060.
