Author: Jennifer Ledet

How many decisions have you made so far today?  I mean, think about it. As an executive leader, starting with your early morning decision of whether to catch a few more ZzZ’s or to crack open your e-mail inbox, you make thousands of decisions in the course of just a typical day.

As you step into the workplace, or get situated behind your laptop, you are no doubt faced with more decisions than the average bear, and how you make decisions will, no doubt, have an impact on your team. And whether you enjoy it or not, decision-making just goes with the territory. In fact, when asked to list the attributes of a great boss, most people would typically include decisiveness in that list. Who wants to work with a leader who’s wishy washy or uncertain? Frankly, I’d rather chew on broken glass than work with someone who can’t make a dang decision and then run with it. But maybe that’s just me.

In fact, whether you are doing the behind the scenes work of a busy intern, or you are perched in the corner office of the C-suite, I think that most people can use some help in making decisions more effectively. Here are some practices that I’ve picked up along the way.

Decision-Making Tips for Executive Leaders

1 – Narrow down your options. Well, duh. This may seem like a no-brainer, but today we have soooo many choices that it can seem overwhelming.

Two psychologists conducted a study where they offered shoppers in an upscale store a variety of jams. On Monday they were offered a selection of 24 varieties of gourmet jam. On Tuesday, they were offered only six varieties of jam. The large display attracted more interest than the small one. But when the time came to purchase, people who saw the large display were one-tenth as likely to buy as people who saw the small display.

The bottom line is, a confused buyer says no. When you have too many choices, your mind may just shut down or go into analysis paralysis. Put them on a list and start snipping away.

2 – Expand your options. Of course, this sounds contradictory, but sometimes – especially when you’re facing an either/or situation – allowing yourself to think outside of the proverbial box can help.

Does it HAVE to be either/or? Should I fire this employee, or not? Are those really your only two options? Probably not. You might examine whether he is a good fit for your organization – is he on the right “bus?” If yes, then maybe he’s just in the wrong “seat.” A transfer to another position for which he is better suited might be your best bet. Or maybe he isn’t properly equipped for the current role, so some training and development are in order. It’s helpful to get creative when expanding your options. If he’s not a good fit for your organization, then you need to boot him off the bus.

3 – Don’t make permanent decisions based on temporary emotions. This tip can be tough for people like me, because I’m not naturally super systematic and have to monitor my emotions when making big decisions. If this is the case, take out a notepad and make a list of options, then list pros and cons of each.

4 – Decide but also build consensus. The ability to make a decision is the cornerstone of good leadership, but at the same time, gaining feedback from your team is crucial. A smart leader will ask for input, actually LISTEN, and increase their employee engagement.

5 – Decide when you’ll decide. Put a deadline on paper for yourself to avoid procrastinating in ad finitum.

6 – Know when to hold ‘em and when to fold ‘em. Effective leaders are calculated risk-takers. They study, consider, and analyze, but they are also ready to take the plunge when appropriate.

7 – Define your values (and/or your company values), and use them to measure your decisions. At the very start of my business, I instituted the no “A-hole Rule.” I vowed I would not work with people I didn’t like. My husband laughs at me, because he says I have that rule and yet I am always talking about how I love my clients. Ah, yeah, but I always have the option to turn away any potential client who rubs me the wrong way.

If you’re clear on your values as a leader and as a business, you will have an easier time making decisions. Period.

8 – Rip off the band-aid. The longer you procrastinate, the more the load of the decision will weigh you down. Just. Do. It.

The recipe to become a successful, decisive leader is a bit like making a good gumbo. It’s not done in a flash, and it’s an ongoing effort that takes a lot of stirring, tasting, and adjusting the seasonings.

Practicing these tips regularly, and even with the small decisions, will help you in becoming a more effective decision maker. Now, if you’ll pardon me, I’m off to lunch. Speaking of which, should I have the soup or the salad? Hmmm.

Whether you are a leader, a senior-level executive, the newest intern at the firm, or if you’re breathing, chances are, you are self-oriented. If you think you’re not self-oriented, think about the last time you saw a picture that was taken of you with a group of friends  – whose face did you look for first? Yup. Thought so. Me too.

Many leaders would prefer to think that they have their ego in check. The reality is that as a human being you are focused on yourself.

A certain degree of ego is natural. Although when it comes to leadership, it is crucial that you keep your ego in check. I’m referring to ego here as an arrogance or cockiness that will get in the way of real growth or sustained success. A jacked up ego is a collaboration killer. Oh, and you can kiss creativity buh-bye.

The most successful leaders strike a balance of confidence and humility. Trying to tell someone that they need to let the air out of their ego balloon is about as easy as taking the King Cake away from a 5-year old (call me if you need details about this delicacy). Those people usually need to experience their own “comeuppance.” In other words, they need to experience some spectacular crash and burn. The more embarrassing, the more likely they are to get the message.

Rather than having to go through such a humiliating experience, and if you’re not sure where you rate on the ego scale, read the following indicators and honestly assess whether they describe you.

6 Ego Indicators

1. You get the last word.
2. You want to win and you look at most interactions as a competition.
3. You are the team problem solver and everyone comes to you to fix their work-related dilemmas.
4. Whatever you say goes.
5. You get involved with every issue – large and small.
6. You feel like you have learned all that you need to know.

If you are humble and self-aware enough to recognize that some of these statements describe you, here are some ways you can rein in your ego and keep it in check.

6 Ways to Rein in Your Ego

1. Back off.

You are in a leadership position because you have skills, talents, abilities that are needed and that no one else brings to the team. Get out of the way and let your employee do his job. Better yet, trust him to do his job, which will free you up to do your job.

2. Choose your sidekicks carefully.

Kids are brutally honest. My great-niece Lucy told me, (quite loudly I might add) “You have pink teeth!” Sure enough, I took a peek in my compact mirror and discovered that I had lipstick on my teeth. You don’t want to surround yourself with bobble head dolls/dashboard dogs who will nod in agreement at everything you say. I think we all need a Lucy at our elbow. Someone who will honestly tell you when you’re doing a “craptacular” job, when your level of suckage is high, or even when you have toilet paper stuck to your shoe. You need someone who will dare to disagree with you.

3. Ask for feedback and input. 

Ask your team questions like, “From your perspective what should I be doing more of? Less of?” And “How do you think we should handle this situation?” By asking these questions and others like them you are not only gaining critical information that will help you to become a more effective leader, but you’re also sending the message to your team member that you value her and that her opinion is important to you.

4. Strive for collaboration over competition.

I’ve been hired to work with many leadership teams because they are functioning like a group of competitors instead of teammates. Set mutually agreed upon goals with your team and then together determine the actions necessary to accomplish those goals. There will be times when each individual will be called upon to sacrifice something for the greater good of the whole team. If a team member is successful, the whole team – and organization – wins.

5. Lead with your ears.

Listening is one of the most important skills you can develop as a leader. And most of us have lots o’room for improvement in this department.

6. Adopt a beginner’s mindset.

In the bayous of Louisiana you may hear someone call a person a tete dur. A tete dur, which translates literally to “hard head” is someone who just won’t listen, whose mind has been made up, or who thinks he knows better. Zen practice states that, “In the beginner’s mind there are many possibilities, in the expert’s mind there are few.” When you think you have learned all that you need to know, you essentially shut down the conversation, the creativity, and the possibilities. Instead, be curious about someone’s “crazy” idea, be open to learning new things, and admit that you may not have all of the answers.

One of my favorite sayings is, “Nothing fails like success.” This is especially true when your ego turns into arrogance and cockiness and takes hold of your team members and ultimately your business. Instead of being tempted to send this to your boss, or a team member who gets under your skin, be humble and self-aware enough to analyze how you may identify with one of these signals. Then, use these strategies to rein in your ego.

CHIME IN:

• Did any of the ego descriptions paint a picture of you?
• How can you improve a relationship with a team member, a client, or a colleague that may have been affected by your ego? 

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Jennifer Ledet, CSP, is a leadership consultant and professional speaker (with a hint of Cajun flavor) who equips leaders from the boardroom to the mailroom to improve employee engagement, teamwork, and communication.  In her customized programs, leadership retreats, keynote presentations, and breakout sessions, she cuts through the BS and talks through the tough stuff to solve your people problems.

For just a moment, forget goal-setting. Forget the New Years resolutions you jotted down last month. Forget the binder-long strategic plan that sits under a stack of papers.

Oh, don’t get me wrong. I totally believe in the power of setting goals, identifying ways to improve, and in creating a plan to get you there. But as an executive leader working with a team, I urge you not to get the cart before the horse.

Many of the problems experienced by organizations and businesses today are not due to lack of strategy, or the wrong annual goals, and they’re not even necessarily due to poor execution. Most of the problems experienced in organizations today are due to “people problems.” Yup, you heard me right.

DO NOT even bother with strategic planning until you’ve first asked yourself these questions regarding your leadership and your team:

Do we truly function as a team? Leadership teams are often not really teams, but a group of individuals – and a dysfunctional group at best! All the plans, goals, and strategies in the world won’t get your organization to the next level unless you first fix your team.

Malfunctioning teams are usually a group of individuals whose motto is “May the best man – or woman – win.” This is because most leadership team members see each other as rivals. They’re all competing for resources, dollars, and favor for their functional teams and departments. How could a group of individuals with that mindset ever join together to set goals and make strategic plans for the organization as a whole, when all they’re worried about is their own departments?

Am I a strong leader? Strategic planning with a weak manager at the helm is like rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic. It is futile and I have graciously declined to work with more than one leadership team because I knew that the leader was the root of the team’s problems. So, put your big girl/boy britches on and get some feedback. Ask team members questions like “Is there anything that I’m doing that is getting in the way of you doing your job?” Or ask, “How might I better lead and support you?” If you’re not lovin’ the responses you get, run –  don’t walk – to get yourself some leadership coaching.

Are team members willing to disagree and debate issues? When a CEO tells me that there is no conflict among team members, I’m tempted to respond with something like, “Oh yeah, well I’m the Tooth Fairy.” The fact is, her team doesn’t agree 100% of the time, but they just don’t trust one another enough to stick their neck out and offer another perspective. This is a very risky place to be. Bad things happen – accidents, injuries, and gigantic mistakes – when team members won’t engage in productive conflict.

Do we regularly take time out to work ON the business? Teams (individuals, business owners, and yours truly) get caught up working IN the business – in the day-to-day activities/responsibilities/weeds – and neglect to periodically take a step back to see how they might be more efficient, effective, or productive. And trust me, having a once-a-year offsite meeting is not enough! Here in Louisiana, many organizations take a WEEK off during Mardi Gras to celebrate, reflect, and well, just take a break.  Remember, priorities will shift, markets will change, and customer demands will require you to alter your direction from time to time.

Scheduling outlets for the team to get above the fray and, as Stephen Covey says, “sharpen the saw,” will allow you to move forward more efficiently. It’s also important to make sure that everyone is clear about the goals and is rowing in the same direction.

Do we have a culture of accountability? Are you having those “spicy conversations” with an under-performing team member? Let me tell you a true tale. Names have been changed to protect, well, the guilty. “Mark” is not pulling his weight or honoring his commitments. Other team members become pretty frustrated with him. Then the frustration is transferred to “Mary”, the team leader, because she’s not holding Mark accountable for his lackluster performance. Before long, the team culture, (and thus, that of the organization because it spreads like a bad flu bug), is one of complaining, resentment, and distrust. If allowed to continue, Mary will be left with Mark – alone – after all of the top performing team members have moved on to other opportunities. End of story. I can’t overemphasize the importance of creating a culture of accountability.

Maybe you answered “No” to some of these questions, take heart! All is not lost. You just have some work to do to create a true team so that you can go forward and effectively execute your best laid plans. Creating a cohesive, collaborative team won’t happen overnight, but it is totally doable. If you’d like some help with doing just that, ring me up. There’s no time like the present to get started! Just DON’T get started on your strategic planning until you have your people problems covered.

YOUR TURN:

• How do you make sure all of your team members are rowing in the same direction?
• What challenges are you having with your leadership team?

I’d love to hear about your experiences. Leave a comment on our blog and share your insights with our community.