🚦 Too Slow: The Muddling of Decision-Making

One thing I've been noticing more and more is that decision-making at the leadership level often takes too long. In most cases, it's not for the right reasons, even if it seems justified on the surface.

Today, I invite you to pause and rethink how decisions are being made at the leadership level, and perhaps consider ways to improve the process.

When something becomes a recurring theme, a pattern in how we operate, we tend to label it as "culture." It's interesting how we sometimes selectively label certain aspects of our operations as “culture” to signal that this is simply who we are and how we do things—an implicit message that we're not interested in changing it.

This resistance might stem from the overwhelming nature of contemplating change, the comfort of familiar routines, or a lack of compelling reasons or resources to drive change at the leadership level.

One such cultural aspect is slow decision-making, and today I want to explore this in the context of strategy execution, change, and transformation.

🐢 Slow Decision-Making: The Root of It All

I like to think of decision-making as driving a sports car in a race. You can be slow to start the race, too hesitant to shift gears, or too sluggish in your reactions. So, when you finish 7th in the race, the immediate tendency is to blame the car, thinking you need more engine power, better tires, or different brakes. Alternatively, you might blame external factors like the weather, the judges, or other drivers. Or you might choose to do nothing and promise to do better next time.

Reflecting on change and transformation efforts, this race car analogy holds true. We often focus on the tangible—problem-solving or fixing—rather than thinking deeply about the intangibles. When decisions are slow, it means that those responsible for execution don't have enough runway to do it right, leaving everyone on edge and leading to rework and workarounds.

💡 What Can Lead to Slow Decision-Making?

Leadership teams often find themselves entangled in slow decision-making due to several factors:

• Lack of Data: Waiting for every piece of information to be available before making a move.
• Perfectionism: The need to have everything perfectly aligned, leading to delays.
• Lack of Expertise: Sometimes, the issue at hand falls outside the team’s expertise, and reliance on collective decision-making fails to bridge the gap.
• Busyness: Leaders may be physically present but mentally absent, overwhelmed by their responsibilities.
• Lack of Vision: Without a clear vision or direction, decisions lack a strong anchor, causing frequent shifts in priorities.
• Power Dynamics: Some leaders may prolong decisions to assert their opinions or challenge others, rather than moving forward.
• Going with the Flow: Some leaders avoid challenging the status quo to maintain harmony, resulting in indecisive outcomes.

🛠️ In the Name of…

Conceptually, we might know we are "taking our time"—a softer way of saying we are slow—because it is justified under the name of:

• Democracy: Ensuring everyone has a voice, sometimes to the extent of involving too many people in the decision-making process.
• Reducing Resistance: The illusion that by asking everyone for their opinion and finding middle ground, we can reduce resistance.
• Double-Checking: Repeatedly asking, re-asking, letting decisions "sink in," and then meeting again to re-discuss, which perpetuates a cycle of delay.
• Shared Accountability: The notion that if everyone is involved in the decision, everyone is accountable. But in reality, when things go wrong, it's hard to pinpoint responsibility.
• Control: A lack of clarity on vision, direction, and outcomes prevents proper delegation. Delegation is more than just authority; it’s about clarity, empowerment, and psychological safety.

💸 The Cost of Slow Decision-Making

The costs of slow decision-making are profound and often underestimated. When decisions drag on, it inevitably shortens the runway for implementation, putting immense pressure on teams to execute within constrained timelines. This rushed execution often leads to errors, rework, and the loss of valuable opportunities.

In addition, the very thing that slow decision-making aims to prevent—resistance—can, in fact, be exacerbated. When decisions are delayed, the middle management and frontline teams are left in limbo, leading to frustration, confusion, and, ultimately, resistance to whatever decision is eventually made.

The ripple effect of slow decision-making extends beyond missed opportunities. As timelines shrink, everything becomes urgent and important, creating an environment of perpetual busyness where teams are constantly firefighting rather than strategically progressing. This atmosphere of urgency can be detrimental to organizational culture, fostering burnout, diminishing morale, and stifling innovation.

It also grants tacit permission for middle management to take matters into their own hands, leading to a lack of alignment and potentially creating silos as they make decisions independently to keep things moving.

Moreover, the loss of agility in decision-making means that organizations are slower to respond to market changes, customer needs, and internal challenges. The opportunity cost is significant, as potential innovations, partnerships, or market entries are lost in the inertia of indecision.

Ultimately, the organization risks becoming reactive rather than proactive, constantly playing catch-up instead of leading the charge.

⚙️ Attributes of Effective Decision-Making

Effective decision-making is more than just a process; it is a core capability that casts a long shadow over the growth potential of the entire organization.

The speed at which decisions are made is crucial—not just to keep up with the pace of change but to maintain momentum in executing strategic priorities. Speed, however, should not come at the cost of quality.

High-quality decisions are informed by data, shaped by experience, and guided by a clear vision and principles that resonate throughout the organization.

Flexibility in decision-making is equally important. The ability to pivot, to change direction when new information emerges or when the external environment shifts, is a hallmark of resilient leadership. This flexibility requires leaders to be both decisive and adaptive, willing to revisit and revise decisions as circumstances evolve.

Guiding principles are the compass that directs decision-making. What values and norms are we adhering to? Who is at the heart of our decisions? These principles ensure that decisions are not just made quickly but are aligned with the organization's mission, vision, and values, creating coherence and unity across all levels.

The driving mindset behind decisions is the final, yet perhaps most critical, component. What mindset are you adopting when making decisions? Is it one of growth, agility, and duty of care?

The mindset shapes not only the decisions themselves but also how they are communicated, implemented, and received by the organization. A mindset rooted in curiosity, inclusivity, and forward-thinking can transform decision-making from a bureaucratic process into a dynamic force for innovation and growth.

In future editions of Connect&, I plan to take a deeper look at the attributes of decision-making and the mindsets that govern and shape our decisions.

🤝People of Transformation in Action: Podcasts, events, and conferences

Change Practice Talk!

🚀 Sharing the good news from last week’s event 😊

This month, I had the pleasure of being invited to speak at icare - The single largest workers compensation insurer in NSW, Australia with $296 billion of the State's assets covered.

specifically at icare's Change Practice meeting, where we explored how coaching can elevate change leadership to new heights. The energy, engagement, and commitment from everyone in the room were absolutely inspiring! 🌟

A massive thank you to Harry and Tash, the leaders behind this, for inviting me, and to all the amazing change leaders who attended and made it such a memorable session! 🙌

Your curiosity and passion for driving impactful change is what makes this work so rewarding.