Right or Wrong, Make a Decision
One of the biggest and best lesson’s I’ve learned thus far in business is the art of making big decisions amidst a sea of uncertainly. Well, let’s just say I’ve learned the importance of this art, but I haven’t yet mastered it.
Sometimes decisions are easy; there is a clear path to the end result or at least there is a clear marker to the lesser of two evils. But often decisions get clouded and one’s passion for making the right decision can stop you in your tracks. I’ve certainly experienced that more than one time.
Recently I’ve been tested with some pretty big decisions and what I now believe is that in the face of extreme uncertainty the making of a decision is actually more important than making the right decision. In other words sitting in limbo awaiting more information or the right information to lead you to making the right decision can be more detrimental to your business than making the wrong decision.
I’d say I’ve done some damage in the past just waiting for the answers to come. If I had made a decision and gone with it, right or wrong, the outcome would have been better. I know this because I have experienced wrong decisions as much as I’ve experienced the right ones. One of the things I’m really good at is figuring out how to make lemonade out of lemons. Put me in the middle of a wrong decision and I’ll make the best of it and find a way to turn it into an opportunity. The point is I’m in action. Noting get’s done in pause. Things can only be achieved when the movie is playing and making a decision takes you out of pause and puts you into action. That’s where great business people, entrepreneurs and innovators do their thing. That’s the only place I’ve ever been successful.
I know now to stay aware of being stuck; indecision is a dangerous state and I don’t want to be there for too long. When I’m not sure which road to take I set a deadline to gather as much information as I can do a gut check and make the call. Either way, I’ll figure out how to make it work.
Deadlines are effective for decision making; they help reduce complexity.
"Work expands to fill the time available for its completion." -- Parkinson's Law
http://alpha1.montclair.edu/~lebelp/ParkinsonsLaw.pdf
Posted by: Bill Paetzke