January 5, 2023 | By David M. Wagner

Have you ever felt stuck in the face of a daunting decision or thorny issue? It can be hard to know where to start.

Recognizing your hang-up about a difficult decision can help you get unstuck and think about issue in new ways. Here are ten common reasons leaders struggle with decisions – and what to do about them.

1. Fear of making the wrong choice. Every item below can contribute to this fear. But if you’ve worked through the other steps and are still fearful, capture those concerns as risks. Are there mitigations you can implement to minimize potential downsides?

2. Hesitation about going with your gut. Sometimes, in your heart, you just know the answer…but you’re not sure that’s enough. Spell out the reasons your gut choice is better than the alternatives and prepare responses for arguments in favor of those other choices.

3. Holding out for consensus. Consensus is desirable; commitment from your team is essential. Use inquiry to understand key perspectives, foster inclusive conflict to work through concerns, and be forthright about the choices you’ve made.

4. Anxiety about emotional blowback. Some decisions are tough because they impact stakeholders on an emotional level. Allow yourself to factor those emotions into your decision while prioritizing the organization’s needs. Then compassionately help affected stakeholders accept change.

5. Concern about bias influencing the decision. Recognizing this possibility is the first step! Consult others with different perspectives to reduce the risk of bias. You can also increase objectivity with a transparent decision rubric that quantifies each decision factor.

6. Overwhelmed by complexity. Often a really complex choice is caused by multiple related issues. (This may also apply to #7!) If you can, break one decision into two or more manageable choices.

7. Paralyzed by having too many options. See if there are must-have criteria you can use to eliminate several options. Formal comparisons can help discern between several options that seem equally good (or bad).

8. Frustration at having no good options. Brainstorming techniques can help uncover better alternatives. And if not, consider the consequences of not making a choice right now. Directness and compassion are important if you must make an undesirable choice.

9. Confusion about the source of the issue. Complete this statement: “The issue is _______, which is a problem because _______.” It can be surprisingly tricky to do. Repeat the exercise – talking it through with someone really helps! – until it feels like you’ve hit on the real issue.

10. Ambiguous authority to make the decision. Whose choice is this to make? When time is of the essence, asking for forgiveness for acting may be preferable to seeking permission. But the higher the stakes, the more important it may be to confirm your authority.

No matter your challenge, it helps to work with an advisor who brings a fresh, independent take and can walk you through the decision-making process. Schedule a free consultation to discuss how Clear Mission Consulting can help.