Own the Decision

Create credibility by taking responsibility

Own the decision by taking responsibility for it.

Although it can get painful if you care about “optics,” it’s a quick fix for credibility.

There are few things more frustrating than working with someone who changes direction regularly. It’s textbook intellectual laziness from a leader.

Changing direction in the middle of a project is usually the result of not being thoughtful with the people to whom you delegate work.

It’s easier to “spray and pray” because finding a direction is hard work. It requires confidence and vulnerability.

Use this exercise to start to own the process.

Exercise:

Before you start a project or process, find the answers to:

• Who?
• What?
• Where?
• How?
• Why?

Your answers to each of these is no longer than two sentences.

Thinking about who, what, where, how, and why and clearly articulating each one makes delegation easier: it frames the project from its start.

Then, if you have to change something, you have a quick tool to see if fear is operating; if those five elements don’t change, your shift won’t be effective.