As leaders we find ourselves facing hard decisions on a regular
basis. The most difficult ones are seldom black and white. These
are the decisions that force us to choose between competing values. It is not easy or clear cut. Often these decisions are not clearly
‘good’ or ‘bad,’ instead they become the lesser of evils where neither option
is ‘good.’ And, sometimes we have to make the most difficult decisions
under dire, pressing circumstances.
Every person reading this has invariably been there,
(layoffs or budget cuts are two good examples). If you are a leader, you have faced hard calls.
What can we keep in mind?
- Make informed decisions.
- Welcome opinions. Get as much
information as we can, weigh the input. Never lose respect for the
truth – truth trumps opinion or emotion. - Make the best decision we can at the time. Even if we don’t have
all the information needed, we still have to punt. Do so and don’t look
back. Move forward. And, if the decision turns out to be wrong; learn
from the experience. Don’t dwell on sunk costs, casualties, or
potential lost opportunities.
One thing is certain, life goes on. It is full of complexity. We have to continue to learn, learn, learn. Life … be in it.