Decision Making, pt4
Leadership in Context with Keith Tucci
Episode 047
Making a Decision in a Vacuum
Decision making should not happen in a vacuum. The scientific definition of vacuum is “a space entirely devoid of matter.” In other words, there is something that is happening that is not being affected by matter, reasons, or facts. We do not want to make decisions in a vacuum or decisions that appearto be made in a vacuum. One of the roles of a leader is not just making decisions (sometimes by trial and error), but getting people to understand, appreciate, and respect there is a process that you are using for your decision making.
Process vs Permission
There is a difference between process and permission. I think a lot of people do not get the input they need to make better decisions because they feel that they are asking for permission when they get input. When you are seeking someone out to get input, it is not a permission issue; it’s a process issue.
You don’t know everything that you need to know about everything.
When you are making a decision, especially a high-level decision, we should always assume that even though we have done our due diligence and we have experience and facts, there still may be something that we don’t know. The danger is when we don’t know that we don’t know.
Think Out Loud
It is good to process out loud with people. Always assume that there is more to know. It is good to have trusted people with whom you can bounce things off. When I have conversations with high-level leaders, that is what they are doing. They are bouncing things off of me. They are not asking for permission or asking for a different opinion. They are asking if they are thinking right or if they are missing something. The process of thinking out loud can be very revealing in either identifying a weak spot or having confidence in the decision you are making. Make sure you are processing things outside of yourself.
Being Teachable
To be a leader, you have to be a teacher. That doesn’t mean you have to be in front of groups of people. It does mean that you have to be teaching people, imparting to people, instructing people. A teacher must be the most teachable person in the group. Your receptive antennas should be out there, looking for knowledge and wisdom.
The Holy Spirit
When making decisions, we have to draw on the Holy Spirit, marrying Spirit and Truth. I remember a time when a decision had to be made about my church. I had discussed it with my leadership team, and then I went away for a week. I took that time to pray and really seek the Holy Spirit. The night after I got back, as I was driving, the Word of the Lord came to me. When I shared it with my team, they knew it was right. It was an option that wasn’t even on the table, but was clearly a God thing.
Being a decisive leader is a defining mark of leadership. Knowing what you don’t know, seeking input and wisdom, being teachable, listening to the Holy Spirit, processing with someone outside yourself—that is the mark of a mature leader.
Join us next week as Keith Tucci continues to put leadership truth in the context of the local church. And as always, please like, share, rate/review, and invite others to listen. See you next week!
