The Courage To Decide

Leadership Workshop (5 of 12) – Manage Decisions Well

Leading at Light Speed is a groundbreaking leadership book by Eric Douglas describing the 10 Quantum Leaps which build trust, spark innovation, and create a high-performing organization. In Chapter 4 Eric discusses the Point of Resolve.

“The point of resolve” is the moment when an individual or a group summons up the will to make a tough decision. There is chance for great loss- or great success.. But at some point the door opens, you make the decision, and suddenly it’s behind you. Ahead of you are the consequences. But for the moment, you are at the point of resolve.

When we make tough decisions, hundreds of factors and points of argument come into play. The tide can drag us under. Our course can feel shaken and out of control. But, finally, we obtain our moment of resolve.. Once you break through, you’re past the moment of resolve and into implementation mode. There’s no turning back.

To be a valuable leader, you must enlighten others about these moments of decision.. People need to know you’ve made a tough decision, that you’ve committed to a course of action, and that there’s no turning back. People look for signs of resolve in their leaders – it builds trust to know that their leaders are willing to make tough stands.

Once a conclusion is drawn, there’s a vital ground rule that must be followed: everyone must stand together in holding the decision, even if you previously opposed it.. It’s mandatory the ground rule be clear: once the decision is made, we all stand in support of it.. Leaders who are looking to construct trust must enforce this ground rule with no exceptions..

Communicate the Results

At some point, the decision is made. The next step is telling people the results and explaining the rationales behind the decision. Surprisingly, this is where a lot of decision processes break down. You may be done, but others are still in the dark. A complex choice affects a variety of people.. I’ve never seen an instance in which people erred in communicating a decision too broadly. On the other hand, I’ve seen countless examples of failing to let key people know what happened.

Don’t forget to publicly recognize everyone involved. Small tokens of appreciation – a team t-shirt, a team photo– are important symbols of having participated in an important decision. Small gestures can provide great significance that helps people gain recognition and build trust..

Once the decision is made, there’s one more thing you should do. You should convene the people involved and ask for their feedback on how well the decision was managed. What worked well? And how could it be better managed the next time? This feedback may seem unnecessary – but believe me, you will glean things that can help you improve all your future decision processes.

Take this free work survey to see if your organization practices the 10 Quantum Leaps of high-performing organizations.