Thought leader Seth Godin wrote, “Leaders of every stripe make one thing more than any other: Decisions.” It is fact. Wherever two or more are gathered someone has to decide. In most cases, if not all, it is the leader. A leader ought to listen to input. But in the end she has to decide. She has to live with her decisions.
What makes for good decision making? What is a process for making good decisions?
I have discovered that good decision making is often the result of experience in making bad decisions. When you make bad decisions, and pay attention, you have discovered a means to making a better decision next time. No leader always makes the right decisions all the time. However, the more decisions you make, the better you hone the skills to make more right, than wrong, decisions.
Experience alone is not enough. It is a good practice to have a process for decision making. Here are suggested process questions for making good decisions.
What is the problem, or situation?
What, if any, limitations impact the decision?
What are your potential options?
What are the best options?
What option will you choose?
How will you implement the decision?
How will you evaluate the effectiveness of the decision?
A good leader will seldom make decisions in a vacuum. She will listen to the counsel of those she trusts. She will exhibit humility. She will give decision making time and thoughtfulness.
There are times when a decision must be made quickly. You may not have the time to run through the provided list of questions. This is when your experience and intuition will kick in. You will need to rely on your gut. A gut that has been hammered out in who you are, what you have done, and where you have been.
The ability to make decisions is one mark of a leader. The decisions you make often make you. The decisions you make can determine the effectiveness of the organization you lead.
You cannot allow decision making to paralyze you. Theodore Roosevelt said, “In any moment of decision, the best thing you can do is the right thing, the next best thing is the wrong thing, and the worst thing you can do is nothing.” Do all you can to make the best decisions possible.