By Jeff Bell.
A compelling urge for every leader is to make a decision. Isn’t that what we are hired for? Isn’t that what our egos thrive on? Make a choice, get it done, earn the rewards. Simple formula.
But it can make us blind to our own shortcomings and to the consequences of such a crude model.
Two things will often happen when someone brings us a problem:
We will make a bad decision. The chances are, we will not know enough about the causes of the current problem and will jump at the most obvious solution. To do it justice, we will need to thoroughly investigate the background, the cause and effect, the possible alternatives, before settling on the most likely options and then the final choice. But there will be 20 of these every day, maybe more. Do we have the time, the energy, the bandwidth, the inclination? So, we take a stab and hope for the best, or just walk away. “Let me think about this and I’ll get back to you.” Which, let’s face it, probably means never. But wait a minute, isn’t all of this work that we pay other people to do?
We will weaken the manager. That is, in most cases, the person who has brought us that problem. By handing us the problem, they are abrogating their own responsibilities. These are to: get things done; be effective; be efficient; take people along with you. By handing us the problem, they are demonstrating that they do not have the strength or the ingenuity to deal with it. By handing us the problem they are the puppy—rolling over and exposing their belly to the pack leader. They are not learning to develop their own strengths and their capacity for leadership and influence. Not only will they be a weak manager, they will not learn how to become a strong leader. And the business will suffer on both counts. As will everyone.
We can do better.
Top-down, or command decision-making is taking control. The power resides in the one person.
Bottom-up, or delegated decision-making is giving control. Power is distributed to the many.
In his book Turn the Ship Around, submarine commander David Marquet describes the military model for decision-making that is not too far removed from the top-down models of business. Even today.
But in what Marquet practiced, the leader requires of the subordinate / manager—not the problem or a plea for permission—but a recommended solution, which will begin:
“I intend to…”
“I plan to…”
“I/we will…”
This will be accompanied by the appropriate information:
- Definition of the problem.
- Background information on the events leading to this problem.
- The most likely options; their costs, risks and benefits.
- The preferred choice.
Should the leader have any doubts about what’s presented, she can ask the most probing questions. Care should be exercised in still not taking control away by telling or overruling.
This may require the manager to return to the planning and decision framing stages for a more rigorous outcome.
But such a change in behaviour, if this is what it is, cannot be achieved by the figurative flicking of a switch. The inexperienced manager may require more time and nurturing by the leader to work into the methodology and to develop the necessary confidence in timing and decision-making.
And, for the more experienced manager, the leader asks for thoughts on what he (the leader) may be thinking. This prompts deeper consideration and articulation of the manager’s thought processes and rationale.
If and when the leader is satisfied, the response is unequivocal:
“Go ahead.” “Please proceed.”
This model places the burden of responsibility for problem processing, solution generation and decision making with the manager.
It is powerful learning, created in real time, with everything at stake. As Marquet says:
“The way we ran the ship was the leadership development program.”
But the responsibility of the one decision to proceed—and therefore the ultimate consequence—resides with the leader.
So, OK, “Don’t make a decision.” is an overreach. To be accurate it is “Make just one decision.”
And when that decision actually succeeds?
Of course. The credit goes to the manager.