Executives tend to be unaware of the feelings—both positive and negative—that their direct reports have about them. Knowledge of the positive emotions feels good, but ignorance of the negative emotions can create a blinder that engenders other problems. Unwittingly, executives condition their people to tell them what they want to hear, even when what theyRead more
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Before deciding whether to make the decision alone or to involve others, determine if a decision needs to be made at all. Deciding not to decide should not be equated with indecision, which occurs when a leader should make a decision but opts not to. So how do you know? First, ask yourself whether theRead more
When senior leaders consistently make good decisions, little else matters; when they make bad decisions, nothing else matters. Each time you engage in decision-making, you stand at a pivot—a turning point that will take you in directions that will contribute to your success or demise. After all, a decisive leader who can’t hit the targetRead more
Decisiveness under pressure requires high-ambiguity tolerance. When people tolerate, or even appreciate ambiguity, they demonstrate the ability to synthesize. As we recall from our chemistry classes, synthesis is the production of a substance from simpler materials after a chemical reaction. In high-stakes situations, like an M & A deal, leaders need to serve as theRead more
Global economic turmoil has taught numerous lessons-the most important one: When leaders make good decisions, little else matters. When they refuse to make decisions or show a pattern of making bad ones, nothing else matters. Leaders should hear this as a clarion call that awakened us all to the fact that we can no longerRead more
