I’m Bob Wendover. I’ve been supervising people for a long time now. If I had to pick one liability that I suffer from more than any other, it’s the temptation to just make the decision and just move on, even if it is someone else’s responsibility. How about you?
The reasons for this are several. It’s easier. I’m impatient. I think I can teach the person how to make the decision. You get the idea.
Of course, there are downsides to this approach. The person will let you make the decision so they don’t have to. They will grow dependent on you to make every decision, no matter how small. When you’re not around, they will wait, rather than moving forward. They will not grow in their critical thinking and confidence to act.
As a leader, the people around you rarely have the same level of investment in doing the work as you do. As a result, they are generally happy to let you do all the thinking. Besides, it’s safer. When something goes wrong, it’s your fault, not theirs.
But being the “center of all decisions” can consume all of your time, if you let it. As a colleague put it, it is also the difference between being a leader and a manager. If you’re a leader, those around you make confident, independent decisions based on desired outcomes. If you’re a manager, you’re directing all tasks, including the details thereof. You can’t be both.
As I have worked with leaders and managers in a wide variety of disciplines, the difference is stark. I find the managers, or the leaders behaving like managers, complaining about overwhelm and not having enough time to accomplishing the tasks for which they are responsible. The effective leaders on the other hand have no such complaints. They are generally relaxed and focused on the bigger picture. This allows them to make time for the conversations, research, and the thinking so crucial to moving the organization forward.
So, what can you do to reduce the chances of getting sucked into this situation? Here are five simple techniques that work for me and others that I am sure will work for you:
#1 — Manage the “monkey.” In other words, resist the reflexive decision making that creates dependence among those around you. I’ll admit, this can be tough to implement at first. But it is worth the investment of energy. Rather than making the decision, respond with “How do think we should approach this?” or something similar. Then wait for them to speak. Don’t relent. Over time, they will pick up on your approach and adapt.
#2 — Train on decision making. Over the years, I have become convinced that 80-85% of all decisions in most any job revolve around 20 scenarios or situations. In fact, that’s the premise of my forthcoming book, What’s Your 20? If you define and then teach the people around you how to make decisions for each of these 20 typical situations, you will save tons of time by referring them back to these steps when they approach you for a decision.
#3 — Make your delegation stick. Most any delegation revolves around four steps – Assign the responsibility with clear outcomes and expectations – Provide the authority to act – Provide the resources needed, if any – Assure them that you have their back when mistakes are made or the other unexpected happens. When they approach you for a decision you have delegated, point them back in this direction.
#4 — Discuss typical decisions during meetings. Decisions in most organizations have patterns. Take time during meetings to discuss typical situations and how to handle them until everyone is comfortable dealing with them. You can also discuss the anomalies when they appear.
#5 — Celebrate confident and independent decision making. We don’t give enough pats on the back. What gets rewarded, gets done. This is true of decision making as much as any other task. When you take time to recognize good decision making, everyone will take note and try to match that performance.
Give these a try. It may take some time for you to feel comfortable using them, but over time you save all kinds of time and energy. Got a technique that works for you? Put it in the comments. We’d all like to know. I’m Bob Wendover.