Decisiveness Leads

Decision Making is not only about the decision process: the problem, the current trouble you´re facing and all the partial goals you set as steps to reach the final goal with your team – decisiveness is the clue.

A decisive person leads, when both partners aim at the same direction!  You can talk about the same topic all day, you can agree to reach a certain goal but only until the moment you decide to go, you take over the relevant Leadership role.

Let´s look at a few examples:

1.   You´re in the middle of an acquisition conversation with a new business partner and the tendency to close the deal is positive.  You decide to give it a try:  “This is my offer – if you decide for this service now  (you point at the flyer or on the iPad/tablet with your website´s offers) …. then this is the price I am offering you.”  Now you take a pen and write down the price for the new customer, as a decision.  Quickly you add:  “Let me know if this price meets your current budget, because I am willing to work with you and I´d be pleased to receive your order.”

TIP:  it´s important to speak it out loud and to add that you´re interested in the deal!  Making this decision puts you into the leading role.  Now you´re first!  You set a clear sign and the new biz-partner is able to follow your offer in agreement.  Maybe you have to negotiate.  Making a decision ends a thought-process.

 

2.   As a mom you´re sitting with your two teenage kids at the breakfast table.  There´s a discussion going-on about a weekend trip which doesn´t fit into the families agenda.  You finally say: “Okay, if you really plan to book the weekend-trip with your friends – which we can´t afford right now as a gift for you – then I allow you take a job and make some extra money!  What do you think?”  Discussions often are about options, alternatives and new ways to get to a certain goal.

TIP:  the moment you decide to agree to the trip, offering an option to make it happen, your kid is able to follow your idea.  You set a sign and open a door.  It´s also the best chance to end the discussion.

 

3.  You´re the president of a sports club and the team discusses a new training method with you.  In the past ages the training methods changed again and again and now your current team asks for something new.  Unfortunately, the team is incapable to agee to one effective method and the temper seems to explode.  You quickly decide to make a first decision:  “Okay, here´s what we do – we have three options we´re discussing now since 40 minutes in hope to find one training method for all.  I see this is not going anywhere and this is the first decision –  we try all three options!  We train each method for 8 weeks and then change to the next.  Afterwards we´re all able to decide for the one which is most effective and fun!”

TIP:  the moment you decide for the next step, you set the first milestone and you offer a secure feeling to the team.  Nobody is a loser after this discussion – everyone is a winner!  And with this decision step, you hand over the final result, the best training method, to the team!  That´s leadership.

 

Let me summarize how decisiveness puts you into the leadership position:

1.  Talk about your sudden decision!  Speak it out loud,  the other one needs to hear that you´re ready for a decision.  You take the first step, you walk ahead leading the situation and the next step will be taken by the other person.

2.  As a decider you open doors, you are able to make things happen.  You immediate stop never ending discussions.

3.  As a decider you can set a milestone for the team.  You offer to get ahead and stop rotating, giving the chance to finally let the team decide after trying various options.  You lead them into a direction.

 

BE A DECISION MAKER.  BECOME OUTSTANDING.

rita jaskolla – Leadership Architect –