As with many people these days, I have become frustrated with the legislative gridlock at all levels of government. It is the nature of politics to seek input from a variety of stakeholders before acting. Sadly, seeking endless input has also become a device for stalling decisions that might be controversial. Over the past several years, we have watched action grind to a halt as noisy, but statistically insignificant partisans complain that their needs or beliefs are not being taken into account. This shift in emphasis from the greater good to individual rights is laudable but unworkable. Elected leaders cannot not satisfy all desires all the time. When the courage is lacking in leadership, however, society in general suffers.
But let’s take this down to a more granular level. We might rail against “cowardly politicians.” But it’s also important to examine our own habits of making decisions in the workplace. Over the years, I have asked any number of leaders where they’ve gotten the courage to act in spite of the discomfort or even uproar their decisions might cause. For the most part, the responses have been matter-of-fact and boil down to three points:
Firstly, they accept that there will always be “unhappy campers” among those their decisions impact. Being sensitive to everyone’s concerns is important. But being responsive to everyone’s concerns is impossible. Besides, their first allegiance is to the overall organization.
Secondly, they make sure to have a clear understanding of each decision to be made. Leaders face an ever-increasing number of pressure-filled decisions these days. The “luxury” of taking time to reflect on the larger context seems to have vanished in many settings. Yet the most effective leaders take that time anyway since they can’t make the best decision if they haven’t gotten to the heart of the issue.
Thirdly they do their homework. The leaders I’ve spoken with have told me that they take time to conduct a bit of personal research whenever possible. This helps them verify that what they’re being told is accurate and balanced. After all, pretty much everyone approaching them has an agenda. Spot checking the information, puts everyone on notice that the boss is invested in the outcome and wants unbiased information and candid suggestions.
Business leaders are appointed, not elected. But the pressures are the same or even more intense. How leaders make decisions continues to evolve. The principles for doing so, however, will always remain the same.