Own Big Decisions
TLDR
Teachable Moment: Take ownership of big decisions for your team by committing on an action plan after weighing all available options.
The Problem
It’s your responsibility to own big decisions for your team.
That’s why you’re the manager making the big slightly more than average bucks.
Inexperienced managers will often find themselves deferring team decisions to their employees, all for the sake of building a democratic culture.
And you should, when the impact is low, and the reach is broad (affecting everyone).
You don’t have to be involved in every decision, but when it comes to impacting team performance, execution, or deliverables, everyone is looking at you.
Otherwise, decisions can take too long and ignore the big picture, negatively impacting everyone involved.
The Solution
Owning big decisions will signal that you are a confident and capable leader for your employees.
If you are finding yourself taking a step back, consider following these 3 steps when it comes to decision-making.
- Gather all the information - before making a decision, make sure you have all of the information you need. This means gathering input from your team and considering all possible outcomes.
- Weigh your options - when making a decision, it’s essential to weigh the pros and cons of each option. This will help you make a call that is best for your team.
- Commit and move forward - once you have weighed the options, make a decision and move forward. This means implementing the decision and seeing it through to the end.
Not every decision will turn out the way you want it to, and quite frankly, this is where you really grow as a leader.
Taking a negative outcome and moving the team forward, despite the results, will help motivate your employees and show them that you are someone they can follow.
