Over the years, I’ve had the privilege of knowing a number of professional athletes. One of the things they’ve all had in common is a quiet sense of intensity. Watch them in practice and you’ll notice the endless repetition, the focus, the concentration, but also the fun they have in trying to be the best they can in their particular environment. What we see on the field, on the court, or in the stadium is the end product of endless hours of practice, but they also have coaching.
They seek out the best to learn from because they are always looking to put even more of an edge on their performance. This is what makes them professionals. It’s that extra little tweak, that little adjustment in position that they are coached about that makes them the best in what they do.
The same thing is true of making decisions. Making simple decisions is one thing. Making tough decisions is quite another. Ask any leader who has reached the top of their career or their organization. It’s been said that it’s lonely at the top. The reason for that is because the toughest decisions are the only ones that reach the top. As a result, there is only one person who can pull the trigger, take the action and, of course, live with the consequences.
In many ways, making the toughest decisions in your career, or as a leader or a manager, is the end result of making lots of decisions over a period of time and learning from them. Once you have done that, you begin to see the perspective – what works, what doesn’t work, what moves people and what doesn’t move people. As you do, you begin to develop an inner sense of confidence that no matter what action you take or decision you make, you will be able to navigate through the consequences, especially if they’re unpopular with others or those who think you’ve made a mistake.
It’s been said endlessly that practice makes perfect. But the truth is perfect practice makes perfect. So, what’s the difference between the two? It is that extra 1% or even one 10th of 1%. It’s the ability to understand the consequences of what you’re doing and act anyway. Making tough decisions makes you better at making tough decisions. If you don’t have tough decisions to make, find some to challenge yourself. Become the key volunteer to lead an organization or a group. Develop a new hobby or interest. Take up a sport and work to master it. All of these types of decisions and skill development will teach you how to make decisions when the chips are down and the tougher choices need to be made.
For a great book on this topic, I recommend The Right Call by Sally Jenkins. It is full of great examples and insights from her 30-year career as a sportswriter. She translates them into everyday principles we can all learn from to be better decision makers.
So what’s the one decision you can make in the next week that will stretch you in a way that will hone your confidence, perspective, and skill in making tough decisions?