A Systematic Approach to Great Decision Making

The phrase "a wrong decision is better than no decision" is gaining popularity, and rightfully so.

Here's why:

1. Mistakes can be fixed, but indecision is wasteful.
2. Rarely are decisions catastrophic, so regardless of the decision, you usually progress.
3. Trying and failing is always better than doing nothing. At least you learn.

As leaders, your job is to make decisions. And your career will live or die by these decisions.

So, we must learn how to make good decisions!

Today, we'll discuss how to make the best decisions as a leader.

Death by Indecision

Indecision is like being stuck in quicksand—every moment you hesitate, you sink a little deeper.

Picture this: your team is gathered around the table, all eyes on you, waiting for direction. But instead of taking the leap, you stall, weighing every possible outcome until the opportunity is gone.

What happens next? Frustration builds, motivation dwindles, and that once-engaged team starts to lose faith in your leadership.

It's like watching a car with a dead battery—no matter how much potential energy it has, it's not going anywhere until someone makes a move.

The reality is that most decisions aren't irreversible, and a wrong turn is often better than standing still. At least then, you can course-correct.

The cost of inaction is too high, both in time and trust. So, get out of the quicksand—make the call, and keep things moving.

Death by Bad Decisions

On the other hand, bad decisions can feel like stepping on a rake—you don’t see it coming, but it hits you hard when you do.

Remember that time you rushed into a new software investment because it seemed like the next big thing? Or when you promoted someone who wasn’t ready, thinking they’d grow into the role?

Those decisions didn’t just sting; they left bruises.

The key is not to avoid mistakes altogether—that’s impossible—but to be aware of the rakes in your path.

When you do trip up, don’t just keep walking with a bump on your head. Pause, reflect, and ask, “What did I miss?”

Bad decisions aren’t fatal as long as you’re willing to learn from them and pivot. It’s this willingness to adapt that turns a misstep into a stepping stone.

A Systematic Approach to Great Decision Making

So, to help you walk the line between indecision and bad decisions, I want to shed light on a process I bring into my meetings that has helped me make better decisions for years.

Whether for a Weekly Team Huddle, a quarterly (or annual) strategic session, or time alone thinking through what needs to be done next, following this process has led to the best decisions in my companies.

1. Make a list of all the problems (or opportunities) you're facing. Big or small, get them all out of your head and onto a whiteboard or piece of paper.
2. Prioritize the top 3 problems/opportunities on the list. Don't waste time prioritizing all of them. Just pick the three most important and get started. If you tackle all three and still have time, prioritize the next three.
3. Determine the root problem. Start with issue #1 and focus first on figuring out what the root issue is. It's often not what is written down as the issue. Like a fever and nausea are symptoms of a root problem (i.e., the flu), we often feel the symptoms of the actual problem. Start by trying to determine what the root of the felt pain is.
4. Discuss all the potential solutions to the problem. This is where a team dynamic is helpful. As you discuss the root problem, let the team hammer the problem with potential solutions. With that, here are a few tips to ensure this time is effective:
   1. Create an open and honest environment with your team, where people listen to one another and speak honestly with one another. Without this, you'll never surface the best ideas.
   2. Don't let people politic for their idea (i.e., dominate the conversation by coming back to one single idea). Once the idea is shared, write it down and let the rest of the team share theirs.
   3. Once the conversation becomes repetitive, it's a good sign that all the ideas are flushed. Now, it's time to make a decision.
5. Decide the best course of action to resolve the problem. At this point you've flushed out all of the known issues, discussed all the potential solutions, and you should have all the information you need to make the best decision possible.
6. Document your decision and any action items. This is where you provide accountability for your decision. Determine who needs to do what and when, and document it in your action items (I keep a running list for my meetings).

Add this simple process to what you are already doing with your teams, and you'll find your decision-making process becomes cleaner, simpler, and more focused on producing results.