We can make decisions in a vacuum. It is easy to dismiss others around us or their ideas.
We do this in our homes. We do it in our businesses. And this hurts our effectiveness.
Today, I want us to look at a few things to consider when making leadership decisions. This will help you become a more aware leader.
Things To Consider While Making Leadership Decisions
My list won’t be comprehensive. This list will barely scratch the surface. However, I believe it will give you a starting point when making decisions.
These are the things you need to consider while making leadership decisions:
Who does the decision impact:
Our decisions, our actions impact more than ourselves. The decisions we make impact those we lead, those we do business with, and more.
Make sure you’re considering others when making your decision.
Why am I making this decision:
We all think we’ve thoroughly thought through a question like this. Many times, we haven’t done the deep dive.
Michael Bungay Stanier says we need to ask And What Else when coaching others. I think we can modify this to help us make better leadership decisions.
Ask yourself “And why?” and then “And why?” Keep digging.
You will find your reason for making the leadership decision is drastically different than you originally thought.
What impact will this have going forward:
We can think in the here and now rather than the now and later. When we only consider the immediate impact of our decisions, we miss the long-term impact.
Often, the long-term impact is far more consequential than the immediate impact.
What needs to be done to achieve this:
Having worked in the Information Technology world for so long, many leadership decisions are made without a full and accurate idea of what it takes to carry out a project. This hurts everyone long-term.
Consider what actually needs to be done for a decision to be successful. It’s not as easy as flipping a switch, changing a bit of code, or shifting workspaces.
How do others feel about this:
While we may have considered who is impacted by our decision, have you taken the time to consider how others will feel about it? The way our decisions make others feel can be a huge red flag to an incoming issue.
Figure out how others will feel about your decision. You may discover this decision is the straw that will break the camel’s back.
There are plenty of things to consider when making a leadership decision. Consider the ones I’ve mentioned. Think of the ones that may impact you. Discover new things to consider.
You’ll be a better leader for thinking through these things.
Please note: I reserve the right to delete comments that are offensive or off-topic.