The decision making checklist (cures indecision)
Once you’ve identified the right problems, there’s still the work of actually deciding.
Leaders are usually indecisive because they’re unclear about when to decide and who to involve.
Here’s the checklist I use to create decisive leadership:
How reversible and impactful is this decision?
Is this a one-way door (hard to reverse) or a two-way door (reversible)?
Is the impact high (people and strategy) or low (process and tools)?
→ One-way door or high-impact: gather input, build alignment, set a deadline to decide.
→ Two-way door or low-impact: decide quickly.
What do I gain or lose by waiting?
Will waiting provide new information that might change my decision?
When will that information arrive?
What is the cost of waiting (team confusion, lost time, missed opportunity)?
→ If new information is material and the cost of waiting is low, then wait.
→ Otherwise, decide quickly.
Who is impacted by this decision?
Does this decision primarily affect my team only?
Does this decision affect other teams or functions?
Does this decision affect people’s careers, trust, or morale?
→ If my team only, decide quickly.
→ If other teams, gather input, build alignment, set a deadline to decide.
→ If impacts people’s careers, trust, or morale – don’t rush.
Commit and Communicate
Who needs to know about this decision?
How will I communicate it simply and clearly?
How will I review or adjust if conditions change?
Lots has been written about decision-making styles – but it boils down to this: more impactful decisions require more input and alignment before you decide.