How To Make The Big Decisions As A Leader
Leading is not for the faint hearted. A core part of your role is to move the organisation forward and improve it. In many ways as one milestone is achieved, another often more challenging one comes along.
In your role as a leader you will have to make many big decisions. While it sounds easy in theory, in practice it is much more difficult. So how can you get better at making the big decisions as a leader?
Accept That You are Human
Just because you are in a leadership role does not make you immune to all of the things that we encounter from time to time. Things like fear, self doubt, worry, overwhelm and stress to name just a few. Recognise that this is perfectly normal and cut yourself slack.
Avoid The Please Everyone Trap
Any time you make a decision whether small or large, there will be people who support and those who will be against it. There will also be a large proportion who are neither up nor down with the decision. The key is to try and take the decision which seems on balance to be the best option rather than trying to please everyone.
Recognise That Decisions Are The Catalyst For Results
Every result that you achieve starts with a decision. Once you decide, chances are that you will take an action and perhaps several actions that lead to a result. While the result might not always be what you expected, you will nevertheless get a result. You can then use the result to make adjustments if it is necessary.
Appreciate That Most Decisions Are Not Life or Death
If you are a surgeon doing an emergency operation, you could very well find yourself making life or death decisions fairly frequently. On the other hand most of the decisions business leaders have to take are not life or death, even if it might seem as if they are at the time.
Find A Trusted Sounding Board
Sometimes just by talking through a decision with a trusted ally, you can get some degree of reassurance. Clearly only you can take the decision but talking it over with a trusted ally can often put it into perspective.
Remember That Delaying Does Not Make It Easier
It can be really tempting to put off taking decisions and actions because we believe that it will get easier if we wait. In my experience the longer you delay, the tougher it becomes and more stressful it gets. Remember that things don’t get easier later, they just get later.
The Bottom Line: Being a leader requires you to take difficult and sometimes bold decisions if you are to achieve real success.
About the Author Duncan Brodie
Since 2006 I’ve worked with in excess of 8,000 accountants and professionals in workshops, seminars and one to one helping them land their next jobs and become better leaders, presenters and business partners. Before that I spent 25 years in accountancy climbing the career ladder from Payments Clerk to FD. I’m a CIMA Fellow, Certified Professional Coach and Team Coach Facilitator.