[00:00:00] Hi and welcome back to Reflect Forward. I'm your host Kerry Siggins and I'm so glad you are here today.
[00:00:14] Today, I want to talk about how to make making tough decisions easier because let's face it,
[00:00:19] every leader has to make tough decisions. This is near and dear to me because I have had to
[00:00:24] make some really tough decisions over the past few months both personally and professionally
[00:00:28] and it's hard. Sometimes I don't want to make the decisions, but I know as a leader that I have to.
[00:00:33] I have to be decisive. I have to act swiftly. I have to be able to perform under pressure and
[00:00:39] make decisions under pressure and that's not always easy to do. But the reality is that the
[00:00:43] ability to make tough decisions swiftly and effectively is what separates good leaders
[00:00:47] from the great ones. And I don't know about you. I'm pretty sure because you're listening
[00:00:51] to this podcast, you want to be a great leader and so do I. So this is a really critical
[00:00:56] skill to be able to master. In fact, according to a study by McKinsey, a staggering 72% of
[00:01:04] senior executives believe bad strategic decisions were either about the same or
[00:01:08] more frequent than good ones. So that means that we have a tremendous opportunity to get
[00:01:15] better at making decisions. So this is a really all-encompassing problem that we have to
[00:01:20] face as leaders and it's only going to get more challenging. We have lots of curved
[00:01:23] balls that we're going to get thrown at us over this next year and the ability to think critically,
[00:01:30] to be able to make decisions with limited information and be decisive is going to matter
[00:01:35] tremendously. Another interesting statistic that I found when I was researching for this podcast
[00:01:41] is that decision-making effectiveness is 95% predictive of an overall business performance.
[00:01:47] That's huge. So our decisions as leaders matter tremendously for the success of our
[00:01:52] teams and our organizations and the vast majority of us think that we can do a better job of making
[00:01:57] better strategic decisions. So that's what I wanted to talk about today and share some tips
[00:02:01] that might help you feel a little bit better about the decisions that you have to make.
[00:02:06] So let's jump into it for today. Number one, embrace a structured decision-making framework.
[00:02:12] So if you have a framework that helps you make decisions, it streamlines the entire process.
[00:02:17] This might be something as simple as identifying the problem, identifying the solutions,
[00:02:22] weighing the pros and cons, and then making a decision. This framework can provide a systematic
[00:02:28] approach reducing the overwhelming nature of making complex decisions. I have been using the
[00:02:33] decide model for making decisions and so I want to go over this with you today. The decide
[00:02:40] model offers a clear step-by-step approach to solving these complex problems to be able to
[00:02:45] look at the different scenarios and help you make a decision that hopefully gets the outcome
[00:02:49] that you're looking for. So the D is for define the problem. So you want to clearly define the
[00:02:56] issue at hand. What needs to be decided? Why is this decision so important? Really set up
[00:03:02] that clear definition so that you have a direction for your decision-making process.
[00:03:07] The E in decide stands for established criteria. So this will be how you determine
[00:03:13] the standards that the potential solutions will be evaluated with. This criteria could include
[00:03:18] factors like cost or time, impact on stakeholders, or alignment within the organization. So you need
[00:03:25] to establish the criteria so that you can weigh the pros and cons. The C in decide stands for
[00:03:30] consider all the alternatives. So you want to brainstorm a list of all the possible courses
[00:03:35] of action, all the solutions that you might take. And at this stage it's important to just
[00:03:40] keep an open mind and even consider unconventional plans. And you're not evaluating them yet. You're
[00:03:46] just throwing all of the possible ideas out there so that you can evaluate them later on.
[00:03:52] Then you go into the I in decide and that's identify the best alternative. This is now where
[00:03:57] you go into evaluating all of those different ideas that you just brainstorm. So you want to
[00:04:03] evaluate each of those options against the criteria that you established in with point E.
[00:04:10] And so this will be ranking all of the different alternatives, doing a cost benefit analysis,
[00:04:15] or using other criteria to determine what is the most suitable choice. The second D in decide
[00:04:21] is development and implement a plan of action. Once you've identified the best alternative,
[00:04:26] then you need to develop a plan for how you're going to go implement this. So it should
[00:04:30] include specific steps and timelines and responsibilities and the resources required.
[00:04:34] And finally, the last E in decide is evaluate and monitor the solution. So after you've put
[00:04:40] your plan into action, you need to monitor its progress and impact. How is it going? Do we need
[00:04:46] to course correct, evaluate the outcomes against the expected results and prepare to make adjustments
[00:04:52] if needed. Now I really, really like this model and I want to start implementing it in Stone Age
[00:04:57] because a lot of us think that when we make a decision and we don't get the outcome that we
[00:05:01] wanted, that it was a bad decision. And that simply isn't true. Sometimes we don't get the
[00:05:07] outcomes that we want and it doesn't mean it was a bad decision. And we need to separate
[00:05:12] the outcome from the decision making process. If you use a framework like the decide model,
[00:05:19] then you went through all the different steps. And yes, you can go back and you can say,
[00:05:24] okay, what did we miss? Did we miss some specific data that would have helped us pick a different
[00:05:29] solution to implement? If we would have had more information, could we have gotten it? Like you
[00:05:34] can go in and you can analyze which part of the decided model you could have done better at.
[00:05:40] But if you follow a process like this and you don't get the outcome you want,
[00:05:43] it doesn't mean it was a bad decision. It simply means that you didn't get the
[00:05:47] outcome that you want. So that's why I think a framework for decision making is really
[00:05:51] important. Number two, I would offer that you explore different viewpoints. I know when I have
[00:05:57] to make a tough decision, it's really important for me to get a different perspective. So I go and get
[00:06:04] a range of input from my team members so that I can uncover blind spots, and they can potentially
[00:06:10] come up with an innovative solution that I haven't thought about. So I think it's really
[00:06:14] important to go get those viewpoints to be collaborative. It enriches the decision
[00:06:20] making process. It brings people along and it helps give you perspective. So get a few trusted people
[00:06:26] that you feel comfortable talking about the major decisions that you have to make
[00:06:30] and get their ideas and formulate that plan together, and it can really help make you feel
[00:06:36] better about the decisions you're going to have to make. Number three, prioritize transparency
[00:06:42] in communication. You know I'm such a believer in transparency. I believe that you should
[00:06:47] tell people everything that you possibly can when people understand the why it's much less scary.
[00:06:54] So when you are making a tough decision, make sure you're being transparent in the decision
[00:06:59] making process. It builds trust within the team and it helps people feel like they have a say
[00:07:06] in what's going on. So you want to be able to explain the why, why we have to make this
[00:07:11] decision, especially this really tough decision. And when people understand the why, then
[00:07:16] they're more likely to say, okay I get it. Here's my suggestions. Here's how I can help.
[00:07:22] Or here's where resistance might be with this. So being an effective communicator is really
[00:07:27] important. So be transparent, communicate the why, ask for that input. And when people understand
[00:07:34] the rationale, they're more likely going to buy in and be aligned, which is really
[00:07:40] important for smooth implementation. So don't be afraid to talk about it. Just be clear about
[00:07:46] it. Explain the why. Number four, I know this is a hard one, but this is the reality of all leaders.
[00:07:52] You have to accept imperfection and be prepared to pivot. No decision is guaranteed to be right,
[00:07:58] to get the outcome that you want, or to be perfect. So it's okay, except that decisions are going
[00:08:05] to need to be reevaluated down the line. That's part of really good leadership. I have
[00:08:09] changed my mind so many times because we've made a decision and then we get more information
[00:08:15] or we see something isn't working and we need to pivot. And agile leadership is really,
[00:08:21] really critical in these crazy times that we're living in right now. So the willingness to pivot
[00:08:26] and when new information becomes available or when circumstances change is a very valuable
[00:08:31] trait to have as a leader. I also believe at least for me in my experience, knowing that I can
[00:08:36] pivot and that I'm capable of pivoting if I need to makes me feel better. If I make a decision
[00:08:43] and I'm not getting the outcome that I want, I'm not afraid to pivot. I know that I can do that.
[00:08:47] I've had it in the back of my mind that if this doesn't work, then I'm going to do X, Y, and Z.
[00:08:52] So when you accept imperfection in the process and you're prepared to pivot,
[00:08:57] you are thinking about plan B and plan C and maybe plan D and you are going to be more
[00:09:03] willing to make those changes rather than digging your heels in and sticking with a decision
[00:09:08] that maybe isn't working out the way that you intended. That's part of my process is I'm making
[00:09:13] a tough decision, okay, if it doesn't work, then we'll change it. We'll fix it, we'll go and do
[00:09:18] something that's different. And that makes me feel a little bit better. Remember, nothing is ever
[00:09:22] permanent, ever, even though something may feel really, really big, and it could be really big,
[00:09:27] you're going to get through it, you're going to learn from it. And it might be painful,
[00:09:30] but the reality is that it's not permanent and that you can pivot and you can move
[00:09:34] towards a different outcome if the decision isn't working out the way that you wanted it to.
[00:09:39] And then number five, leverage data and insights. You need information.
[00:09:44] Data is queen these days and leveraging analytics and insights can provide a solid
[00:09:49] foundation for decision making. I know that when I have as much information as I can possibly get,
[00:09:54] it makes me feel better about making a decision. Sometimes you have to go with your gut,
[00:09:59] but the more data that you have can help you validate what your gut's telling you
[00:10:03] and you can balance the two. I think that there's always a balance. I mean,
[00:10:06] some people will tell you never use your gut, only make it on data, but I'm not the believer in that.
[00:10:10] I believe that intuition, which really comes from your experience as a leader,
[00:10:15] it is informing you of what experiences you've gone through in the past,
[00:10:20] which will help you make those decisions. So get as much data as you can. It will help you
[00:10:25] be more objective in the decision making process. It will help reduce the ambiguity
[00:10:29] associated with tough choices because let's face it, a lot of people hate ambiguity. I get it.
[00:10:35] I am not one of those people, but if you are, I feel your pain. I understand that it's hard when
[00:10:40] it's just not black and white clear. This is the decision that we should make
[00:10:44] and never forget to balance that data with intuition and emotional intelligence. You have
[00:10:48] to trust yourself. And finally, I'd really like to encourage you to consider self care
[00:10:54] when you have to make tough decisions. I know that when I'm faced with some really tough choices,
[00:11:00] there's a couple of things that help me get into a better frame of mind. First is get enough sleep
[00:11:07] and get some exercise. Sleep is amazing. It absolutely helps you be able to think clearly
[00:11:14] and to be more resilient and to handle what's thrown at you better. Exercise,
[00:11:20] it increases endorphins, so many feel good hormones in your body. And for me, there's nothing like
[00:11:27] going for a run to help clear my mind. And that gives me clarity then on the decisions that I need
[00:11:33] to make. So I really want to pitch those two. Meditating, meditating is really important.
[00:11:40] I meditate every single day. And sometimes I make the intention of I would like clarity on this
[00:11:46] tough decision and then I clear my mind. Now sometimes when your mind's racing because you
[00:11:51] got an important decision to make and you're stressing about it, it's really hard to empty
[00:11:55] your brain of thoughts. So here's a trick that I do. I think about those thoughts. Okay,
[00:12:01] this is Carrie as a leader making these decisions. And I'm going to put Carrie and
[00:12:06] these decisions on this box in a shelf. And they're gonna sit there and they're kind
[00:12:11] of in my peripheral because I'm not making them go away. I'm just saying, you're gonna
[00:12:15] just sit there on this shelf in this box for a little bit while I clear my mind and I really
[00:12:20] feel my body and my breath. And so I offer that as a suggestion for you if you have a hard time
[00:12:28] shutting off that chatter that you feel, especially when you are stressed, but you know
[00:12:32] that you need to clear your mind. Imagine putting those thoughts and your personality and
[00:12:37] your persona as a leader in that little box and then just sit there. And then a couple
[00:12:42] of other things that I do that really helps is that I have a mantra. I am cool, calm and collected
[00:12:48] or simply I am, I am, I am you can count your breaths that helps too. And the other trick about
[00:12:56] meditating and I know that this is hard because a lot of us will say okay, I'm just gonna meditate
[00:13:00] for five minutes but I find that it tends to take me about 10 minutes to be able to get into
[00:13:05] the space where I've worked through putting my thoughts and feelings and my leadership persona
[00:13:10] in that box and really being able to sit with myself. So if you have a tough decision to make,
[00:13:16] do not rush through meditating, give yourself a chance to get into that calm spot because it
[00:13:22] sometimes just takes a while and you are not failing and I know it can feel really frustrating
[00:13:27] but when you go from running a million miles an hour to trying to calm your mind,
[00:13:32] you have to give yourself a little bit of space to be able to calm your nervous system
[00:13:38] and to get some of those cloggy busy noisy thoughts out of your brain. So that's my plug for self-care.
[00:13:46] If you have other things that you like to do that make you feel better, that help you reduce stress,
[00:13:50] by all means do them but be patient with yourself and if you need a little bit of time
[00:13:56] to be able to clear your head to go for a run to get some sleep, take it because
[00:14:01] it will help you make a better decision. So hopefully by incorporating these strategies,
[00:14:07] you can make the daunting task of tough decision making a little bit more manageable.
[00:14:11] Remember, you do not want to avoid making tough decisions. If you avoid making tough decisions,
[00:14:16] you are not a good leader that is kicking the can down the road that is not solving problems
[00:14:21] and you are not doing your job as a leader and you will not garner respect from your teams.
[00:14:26] People want to work for decisive leaders. So hone these skills and when you do,
[00:14:32] you will not only enhance your effectiveness at decision making, but you'll also inspire
[00:14:37] confidence and resiliency in your teams because they are looking to us to help make those tough
[00:14:43] decisions to help calm the waters and help them move forward and get through the change
[00:14:48] through the decision as quickly as possible. Making tough decisions is an integral part
[00:14:52] of leadership and with the right approach, you can make it one of your strongest assets.
[00:14:57] All right, with that, I hope you enjoyed this podcast and I look forward to hosting you next
[00:15:02] week. If you like this podcast, please like it, share it with a friend, subscribe to it, go to
[00:15:06] YouTube. I really appreciate all of the support and getting the word out about Reflect Forward.
[00:15:13] And if you want to pick up a copy of my book, head on over to Amazon or to my website,
[00:15:17] CariSignals.com and you can get a copy of the ownership mindset there.
[00:15:20] All right, I will leave you to your week. I hope you have a great one and we'll see you next week.