Decisions are like coins in that each decision has two immediate implications:
- What the decision allows or enables
- What the decision prevents or precludes
In other words, every ‘yes’ to one thing means a ‘no’ to something else.
So, when asked to make a decision – or to weigh in on an issue – consider BOTH sides of the coin, not just the one.
Some Examples
- Data
- Don’t just consider what data exists…
- Consider what data is missing, as well.
- Contracts
- Don’t just read a contract for what it specifically says…
- Read it for what it specifically omits, as well.
- Approval Requests
- Don’t just consider the implications of your approving something…
- Consider the implications of your rejecting it, as well.
- Momentum
- Don’t just think in terms of what will move an initiative forward…
- Think about what will prevent it from sliding backwards, as well.
- People Management
- Don’t just focus on what motivates people…
- Consider how you may be inadvertently demotivating them, as well.
- Matters Deserving Your Attention
- Don’t just attend to problems…
- Run with whatever opportunities present themselves to you, as well.
- Teamwork
- Don’t just consider what will make a team more engaged…
- Consider what will make them more productive, as well…
- Delegation
- Don’t just delegate to your star players…
- Delegate to your entire staff, as well.
- Procedural Updates
- Don’t just challenge procedures that you don’t like…
- Challenge ones that your staff doesn’t like, as well.
- Crises du Jou
- Don’t just respond to what’s urgent…
- Respond to what’s important, as well.
Get the picture?
One More Opposite-Side Benefit
Broadening how you make decisions and adjudicate issues, in this way, will not only improve the quality of YOUR decision-making, it will improve the decision-making of your staff, as well, as they notice, and emulate what you’re modeling for them.
And it’s exactly that type of leverage (1+1>2) that makes these Leadership Moves as powerful as they are.
Try them and see.