I often wonder why people (especially leaders) struggle in making decisions.  Even the smallest or minute decisions seem to derail some people.  These are people who hold key positions within an organization, hired to drive results, and advance the organization.  Like many of you, my career has been filled with leaders who will not make timely decisions.  In fact, one of the most common methods is to ignore or put off the request for a decision. This has caused great frustration over the years.  A leader’s inability to make decisions cost jobs and profits.  It creates embarrassment and the inability to attract and retain excellent talent.  So why do many leaders struggle making decisions?  I spent some time thinking about this over the last few days and concluded it comes down to this

The decision we make today will affect the outcome of tomorrow. So if I don’t make a decision, I am not responsible for the outcome.

That’s it!  People don’t want to be responsible for the outcome of their actions.  They fear their decision will be wrong or make people mad.  You see, many leaders see their position as a popularity contest.  So when unpopular decisions must be made, I’ve seen many leaders delay or ignore the situation in order to maintain their popularity. Eventually these decisions must be made and many communicate them through other leaders or sources.  General Colin Powell said, “Trying to get everyone to like you is a sign of mediocrity. You’ll avoid the tough decisions, you’ll avoid confronting people who need to be confronted, and you’ll avoid offering different rewards based on different performance because some people might get upset.”  

My career has been littered with many mediocre and bad leaders.  All have one thing in common.  They wanted people to like them and were willing to postpone and avoid tough decisions and hard conversations to ensure the relationship remained intact.  The great financier and Oklahoma State University Booster and COWBOY FOOTBALL supporter, T. Boone Pickens once cautioned: “Don’t fall victim to what I call the ‘ready-aim-aim-aim-aim syndrome. You must be willing to fire.” Make a decision and act on it. That is what GOOD leaders do!

How does one make decisions?  How do you get the courage to make those tough choices and decisions even if they won’t be popular?   Here is a four-step process for making choices and decisions.

1. READY, FIRE, AIM – If you follow my post or have ever read my blogs, this phrase should be familiar to you.  My philosophy is a wrong decision is better than no decision!  At least I made a decision.  I understand the responsibility to deliberate and become educated on the information or situation.  However, I believe instinct and intuition (my gut feeling) are very good indicators of what I must do.  Most times, the information has been available to us for many days or weeks prior to the choice and decision having to be made.  We know what is right and what must be done.  The great leaders act with limited information.
2. BE CONFIDENT – I heard John Maxwell say, “Don’t waste time and energy second-guessing yourself.” Leaders must not look back on the decisions.  They must be confident in their decision and move on, regardless of the outcome.  I simply make the decision and move on.
3. REMEMBER LEADERSHIP IS NOT A POPULARITY CONTEST – Leadership is not about friendships, but rather RELATIONSHIPS!  Our position of leader requires us to build relationships in order to create trust and ultimately influence for performance.  Friendships cause us to make decisions based on our desired friendship outcome.  We tend to allow friends to get away with more and we are less likely to have those difficult conversations.  Relationships allow us to be open and honest and create an atmosphere to make those difficult choices and decisions. Colin Powell said, “Sometimes leadership means pissing people off.”  I believe I have to make the right decision even if it is unpopular.
4. TAKE RESPONSIBILITY THROUGH HUMILITY – Be responsible for your choices and decisions.  You’re the leader and you made the decision based on the information available at the time and on your instincts and intuition.  You are a leader because of your passion.  “Once you have a burning desire and you live in purpose with that desire, decisions come quickly and easily and seldom if ever will you change your mind.” ~ Napoleon Hill.  However, if the decision or choice didn’t work out as planned, there will be grace for the humble leader.  I heard it said once, “With pride, there are many curses. With humility, there come many blessings.”

Making even the smallest and inconsequential of decisions can seem difficult.  However, I’ve found following these four steps simplifies the process.  I can’t tell you that every decision will be the right one.  But I can tell you that your employees and the people that follow you will respect you for simply making a decision.  All leaders must make decisions.  However, effective leaders, the one’s that have success and influence others, make decisions quick and with bold confidence.

Success, what does it look like?  I get ask this question in many different ways.  Many ask what career steps I took to get ready for my current position as VP.  Others ask what it takes to become an effective leader.  Some have even asked what specific steps did you take to move up in your career.

I recently spoke to several groups at the EHS Seminar for the Texas Chemical Council in Galveston, TX.  During a break, I was asked by a young professional what specific steps he could take to help him achieve his goal of VP.  I thought about that for a while and realized there were no real organized steps, but rather there were principles I embraced and embodied as a person and professional.  Let me share those with you.

1. WORK/LIFE BALANCE – I have always put my faith and family above my job.  That doesn’t mean I haven’t worked seven days a week and 1 4hr or more days.  I have in fact done that and still do at times.  However, I’ve found that when I correctly balance my faith, family and work, my overall joy increases with my family and those I encounter. I’m happier at home and at work and I accomplish more and I become more efficient.  For many (including myself) work is satisfying and gives us a purpose and since of accomplishment.  However, without our faith and family, what good hard work?
2. PASSION – I am so tired of hearing professionals tell me how much they hate or despise their jobs or situations.  If you hate what you do, THEN LEAVE!  Find a job you love, something that you can achieve and accomplish greatness.  Something that makes you happy.  Passion fuels your will power as a leader. Without it, you’ll lack the vigor to drive change and overcome obstacles. Without passion you quit!  By finding and following your passion—you’ll end up becoming a more dedicated, productive person.  A person who is happy, satisfied and content.
3. EXCEED EXPECTATIONS – Expectations are the core of everything we do and everything that gets done.  Meeting expectations is what people do.  When you go into an annual review and meet expectations you receive an “average” rating and probably an “average” raise.  HOW BORING!  Average is boring, everyone is average. If you want to separate yourself from average, then you must “exceed expectations”! Exceeding expectations creates excitement.  It increases results in personal and company growth. Exceeding expectations sets you apart from everyone else. It also ensures you value people. When you value people you can accomplish anything.
4. CHARACTER – Character is who you are inside portrayed through your actions and behaviors on the outside.  Character is who you are and who you are determines if people will follow. If people follow, then you can influence them, if you can influence them, then you can lead them! Your Character determines your reputation. Your reputation is built upon who you are internally, because that is what ultimately comes out and what people see.  Abraham Lincoln said, “Character is the Tree, Reputation is the Shadow.”Focus on being better on the inside than the outside, over time you will become better on the outside.
5. BE HUMBLE- Leaders are typically those who have ambition, are very talented and confident when making decisions and interacting with people. But most of us don’t think of leaders as humble or describe them with the word “humility”.  In fact, I think most leaders shy away from humility because they feel it is a sign of weakness or self-doubt. I totally disagree. I think a humble leader is one who has wisdom and self assuredness, someone who is not afraid to admit a mistake or that they might not have the best solution or answer.  Humility is the opposite of Pride. Ezra Taft Benson said, “Pride is concerned with who is right, humility is concerned with what is right.”  Humility does not come easy. We all want people to look up to us and think we have the answers and know the way. Benjamin Franklin once said, “there is perhaps not one of our natural passions so hard to subdue as pride. Beat it down, stifle it, mortify it as much as one pleases, it is still alive. Even if I could conceive that I had completely overcome it, I should probably be proud of my humility.”  The great college basketball coach John Wooden often told his players, “Talent is God-given. Be humble. Fame is man-given. Be thankful. Conceit is self-given. Be careful.”  C.S. Lewis said this, “Humility is not thinking less of yourself, it’s thinking of yourself less.”  

Follow these five (5) principles and I suspect you will be a successful leader, thus allowing you to grow professionally.  Remember it not always the job, money or position that indicates success.