( 771 words = 5-minute read)
April Newsletter Recap
# 1 – Potential vs. Performance – plan to work toward your full potential and develop profound strengths
# 2 – Learning Agility – dedicate yourself to being a great learner and your people will follow you
# 3 – Develop Learning Agility – strive to continually improve, including seeking constructive feedback and adopt a self-improvement mindset
Hello Leaders,
This month, let’s dive into one of the most critical leadership competencies: Making Decisions.
Great decision-making is a hallmark of effective leadership—but that doesn’t mean it’s easy. In fact, today’s environment makes it harder than ever. If you’d like to explore this further grab time on my calendar.
Point # 1 – The Challenge of Decision Making Today
It’s surprising how rarely executives name “decision-making” as a key challenge—yet it’s more complex than ever. Why?
• You often don’t have all the data. Strategic decisions must be made in ambiguity, rapid change, and market volatility.
• You’re balancing competing interests: shareholders, customers, employees, regulators, and the public.
• You face trade-offs between short-term results and long-term value.
• Groupthink, cognitive biases, and strong personalities can distort decisions.
• Fear of getting it wrong can lead to hesitation—or risk aversion.
• Internal politics and silos can cloud the facts and undermine collaboration.
• The pace of business forces you to act fast—sometimes before you’re ready.
Ask Yourself: Am I aware of the unique challenges I face in making decisions?
Point # 2 – Best Practices
Top executives develop a disciplined but flexible approach. They blend strategic thinking, emotional intelligence, and self-awareness. Here’s what they consistently do well:
1. Clarify the Decision – Define what’s actually being decided. Don’t mix tactical and strategic questions.
2. Use a Structured Process – Leverage frameworks (e.g., SWOT, cost-benefit, scenario planning).
3. Seek Diverse Perspectives – Avoid echo chambers. Invite dissenting views.
4. Balance Data and Judgment – Trust both analytics and experience, especially when data is lagging.
5. Manage Biases – Watch for overconfidence, confirmation bias, and ask, “What would have to be true for this to fail?”
6. Decide at the Right Level – Empower your team, but don’t abdicate responsibility.
7. Act Timely, Not Perfectly – Avoid paralysis. Prioritize action over perfection.
8. Communicate the “Why” – Share the reasoning to align teams and foster trust.
9. Review and Learn – Reflect on what worked, what didn’t, and refine your process.
Ask Yourself: Which of these best practices could I apply more consistently?
Point # 3 – How to Get Better
Improving any leadership competency takes motivation, a plan, and feedback. Based on research from Zenger Folkman, leaders who are already good decision-makers can become great by building complementary strengths. Four make the biggest difference:
1. Show Courage – Great decisions often require pushing against resistance, holding others accountable, and facing tough truths.
2. Exhibit Deep Expertise – Confidence grows when you know your stuff. But even experts benefit from involving others.
3. Develop Strategic Perspective – Don’t sacrifice long-term success for short-term wins. Keep decisions aligned with your vision.
4. Drive for Results – Decisions only matter if they’re implemented. Follow through and encourage execution.
Reflection: Which strength could I build on to become an even better decision-maker?
Ask yourself: What strengths can I build upon to improve my decision making?
Want to Go Deeper?
1. Five Traits of Leaders Who Excel at Decision-Making by David Tuckett MIT Sloan Management Review
2. The Ultimate Guide to Executive Decision Making by Unicorn Labs
3. How to Make Great Decisions, Quickly by Martin G. Moore HBR