Making Wise Decisions: Two Strategies All Leaders Need

If being a leader was easy, everyone would do it. Seriously. It doesn’t matter how big your organization is, when you’re tasked with responsibilities like your team’s engagement and the success of your company, it is no small matter. How you approach every decision–whether it be the new hire or next year’s strategy–is a big deal.

When you have big decisions to make, you don’t want to react too quickly. It’s important to consider all your options and seek out advice. But then what? How can you prevent getting bogged down with distractions or getting lost in minute details? You need a strategy.

Here are two tactics you’ll want to apply to every future decision you make:

Be Aware

Awareness is the result of being mindful. When you understand what is going on around you and how it ties in with what is important to you and your organization, you are more aware, thus better able to make a good decision.

To illustrate, let’s say you are presented with a new idea, one that a lot of other companies are jumping on. It might sound like a good idea, but if you go after it without considering how it affects your goals, then you’re probably not acting out of awareness.

To be aware, first you need a clear understanding of your priorities, and second, you need insight to your thoughts and feelings about the situation. For instance, when negativity enters your thoughts, if you are aware of it, you put it in check. This can protect you from not making the best decision because your negativity was biasing you. When your priorities and thoughts and feelings are in check, it’s time to apply the next tactic:

Be Intentional

When you are a leader, you are constantly making decisions. As with awareness, in every decision you make, it’s important to be intentional. How can you, as a leader, be more intentional?

Being intentional means operating with purpose–it’s a mindset which requires discipline. Purpose is derived from your priorities and passions, and to be intentional, you need to be aware of them on a daily basis.

You might ask yourself, how does this new idea tie into my purpose? If there is no link, is it worth your energy and time? Making intentional choices, in leadership and in your personal life, will make even the most seemingly mediocre decisions feel noteworthy, because everything you do will be meaningful.

Are you aware and intentional when you make decisions? You can start applying these tactics today. And to grow even more in your quest to become the best leader you can be, then check out our Heartwiring and Hardwiring Your Leadership™ Program. It provides in-depth training to help you transform your leadership style.

 

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