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Tough Times, Tough ChoicesIf the mark of an effective leader is the ability to execute under pressure, then the ability
to make difficult decisions in the face of urgency and uncertainty is a prerequisite. Strategy-making requires a good deal of investigation and reflective thought, and so is best done over time, but critical decision-making often has to happen in the moment. The turbulence of our times puts a premium on sound judgment and resolute action. So why is it that there have been so many cases of spectacularly bad decisions in recent days?
My hunch is that decision-making has always been a tricky business, it’s just that we hear much more about the failures in our era of instant mass media. Executives today find their every move under scrutiny, and that may actually work against good decision-making practices. In a recent nationwide survey by NFI Research, the majority of the 2,000 executives and managers surveyed feel they themselves deal with tough
decisions right away, while a third of those same people say their superiors defer the tough calls and a third wait until absolutely necessary. You can’t win. What seems to trip up the best-intentioned executives? Here’s my list of the top five habits of mind that get in the way of making the tough choices: - Paying too much attention to what others think. We all have people in our lives
whose opinions and experience we respect and it’s a good idea to consult with them on important decisions. But it’s also smart to ask yourself if these are the right people to heed in this particular circumstance. How much do they really know about this issue? Do they have their own interests, different from yours?
- Paying too little attention to what others think. We frequently discount the
perspectives of some important groups and individuals, often on the basis of difference. But sometimes these are the people who can best help you see the other side of an issue, one that you should not ignore. Ask yourself why they see things differently, and what you may have been missing.
- Hearing only what you want to hear. We unconsciously apply filters – both social
and situational – to what we hear, and over time we develop “listening fatigue.” This is probably the most dangerous habit of senior leaders, and the most common. Ask yourself who is on your “red team” – the people around you who aren’t afraid to tell it like it is, no matter what.
- Waiting for all the facts to come in. You might have to wait a long time. We often find ourselves having to make a choice without all the information we’d like
to have. It seems that the tougher the decision, the more ambiguity there is surrounding it. Ask yourself what the critical variables are and identify the unknowables, and weigh those along with what you do know in making your decision. Sometimes that’s as good as it gets.
- Not listening to your gut. Good decision-making doesn’t take place entirely above the neck – we all “know” things in ways other than logic. Take some time
to do a gut-check, to listen to your intuition. Ask yourself what feels right and what smells funny about the situation, and you’ll make better decisions with a lot fewer regrets.
How good are you at making tough choices? If you’ve got a big challenge confronting you now, or you just want to get better at self-management to prepare for future challenges, let’s talk about how coaching can work for you. Call (410)626-6008, or email info@bloomfieldassociates.com. 
In brainstorming alternatives, gathering information, and outlining possible outcomes, be sure to document the details and implications of your thinking. Take some time to develop criteria for success in evaluating the consequences of your decisions, and write those down as well. Make it a regular practice, at regular intervals or at key
milestones, to go back and evaluate the decision you made. Are things going as you had expected? Are you happy with the outcomes? Are there any unintended consequences? Do you want to let the decision stand, or should you make some adjustments to current conditions? What changes do you want to make in your decision-making process the next time? |
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A study by McKinsey & Company of 40 major change programs found that 58% of companies failed to meet their targets and 20% captured only a third or less of the expected value. So far this year alone, the number of contract workers in the U.S. jumped about 110%, to 2.3 million, according to the American Staffing Association, a trade group. One
recent study compared the wages of "temps" with the regular workforce and found that a contract worker gets paid, on average, about 20% more than a regular full-time employee for doing the same, or comparable, tasks. The FBI says losses by U.S. companies from laptop theft in 2003 equaled about $6.8 million. The research firm Gartner estimates that a single stolen laptop can cost a company more than $6,000 for hardware, software, restoring data and user downtime,
not counting the value of any data lost or exposed. 
Digital Natives Today’s young computer enthusiasts -- the “digital natives” who are our future business, military, and government leaders -- have extraordinary cumulative digital
experience: an average of close to 10,000 hours playing video games; more than 200,000 e-mails and instant messages sent and received; nearly 10,000 hours of talking, playing games, and using data on cell phones; more than 20,000 hours spent watching TV (much of it jump-cut-laden MTV); almost 500,000 commercials seen — all before they finished college. At most, they’ve logged only 5,000 hours of book reading. 
 The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, by Mark Hammond.
What I like about it: A delightful novel that explores the way the world might look to someone with a very singular way of perceiving and experiencing it – the entire engaging story is told by a young man who is (probably) autistic. It really made me (and my book group) think about how we all really do see things differently.
Beth Bloomfield
Executive Coach, Strategy Consultant
Principal, Bloomfield Associates
Share what you’re into — books, articles, movies, music, websites — with others on the list! Send us the title and author or other pertinent information, along with a sentence or two on what you like
about it, and if we use it in A Different Optic we’ll not only quote you, we’ll provide a link to you or your website. |
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“It takes courage to grow up and turn out to be who you really are.”
— ee cummings
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Coaches – Better late than never – Beth Bloomfield’s six-session teleclinic, “Building Your Executive Coaching Practice,” starts this evening, September 14, and if you register and pay online today you can still join in. Click here. Beth Bloomfield
and Georgetown coaching faculty colleague Frank Ball will present a workshop on “Designing a Coaching Program: Creating Effective Learning Activities for Your Clients” at the first annual ICF Capital Coaching Conference on October 1 at the Silver Spring Hilton in Silver Spring, MD. Laura Berman Fortgang is the keynote speaker at the conference. Visit the ICF Metro DC Chapter website for more information and to register online. We’d love to see you there! Beth will speak to the Entrepreneur’s Exchange in Annapolis on October 6 on "How to Hire a Consultant and Get the Most Value." To learn more about
the organization and this event, and to register, click here. Georgetown coaching faculty colleague Neil Stroul is leading an excursion to Crete with Georgetown graduate Eve Konstantine next May to “explore our inner landscape, while
discovering one of the most beautiful islands in the Mediterranean.” Neil and Eve will blend group and individual coaching sessions with visits to ancient sites and island villages for what promises to be a most memorable experience. Call Eve at 202-247-0041 or Neil at 703-625-3100 for information. | | |
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