Matthew Petro

Listen, decide, move on!

Tweet

Leaders need to make decisions. That, along with setting a vision for the future are really the two core components of being a leader.

Decision making requires input. Leaders need to hear input from the people around them and then make the best decision they can based on the data available. But the data is never perfect, nor is it complete. There are always unknowns, risks and costs both known and unknown associated with every decision. So what does a leader need to do?

Make a damn decision.

One of the hallmarks of a great leader is knowing when to quit listening to input, make a decision and move on. An indecisive leader can collect data ad nauseum and never make a decision. An unsure leader can second-guess every decision they’ve made. Neither of these things are helpful to the people who are being led. Indecisiveness and second-guessing lead to instability in an organization and taint the efforts of all its members.

Listen, make a decision and move on.