“You can’t make decisions based on fear and the possibility of what might happen.” – Michelle Obama
It’s an easy equation on paper:
Decision + action = change.
Sounds simple right? Make a decision and go for it.
And yet too many businesses and people that I come across seem to find this one thing – decisionship – a major challenge as they waiver between the multitude of ‘maybes’ and the pursuit of perfection. In the end, this inability to make a decision – whether it turns out to be the best possible one – is what separates the business world’s could-be-goods from the greats.
Things are changing incredibly rapidly; the business cycle of growth, flatline and reinvention post-decline is significantly shorter. New competitors are emerging everyday, and the insularity of the global economy and speed of technology mean change is ever present and phenomenally fast. You have what you know is a brilliant idea; you take your time mulling over the various outcomes for said idea – and then someone else goes to market or shares the same idea at a meeting,and the opportunity is lost. It’s all very well to say ‘that was my idea’ – but if you haven’t made a decision on what to do with it, where’s the value?
The plethora of choices in terms of ‘how do I launch X’ – whether it be a product, a new professional standard or intellectual property – seem to be bogging down the process of actually getting from the ‘Eureka’ moment to market. With so many options in terms of suppliers, design, launch mechanisms, it seems we are unable to actually push the decisionship button. So how do we overcome the need to have an idea at the 100% right point before we are willing to say ‘just do it’?
In the last three years I have launched a business, a practice, a philanthropic arm, written a weekly blog, delivered numerous events and am in the process of writing an e-book. This is a statement of fact rather than an ‘I’m just that good’; because my point is this: at each stage I of course reviewed and researched – but I was always at 80% prior to launching. Not 99, not 100. It is a case of launch, learn – and evolve on the way.
Leaders in business today need to hone their decisionship skills in order to make game changing leaps. It is the leadership skill which is becoming most needed. You must set goals and then make a decision on what to deliver, how to deliver, how to measure and how to decide to continue or move on if a decision doesn’t pay off, and believe me they sometimes won’t. But if you continually search for perfection, then inevitably someone else will take the golden ring. Focus on the ‘to do list’ rather than launch, and the moment has gone, with you slapping yourself for thinking great things, but not acting on them.
Mistakes will happen. There will be things you will kick yourself for. But if you vacillate, then there is no forward momentum – and your business will have no positive outcomes.
So ask yourself this; do you want to be good, or do you want to be great at what you do?
If you said ‘great’ without hesitation, congratulations.
That’s your first big decision of the day. And it’s the best one you’ll ever make.
