When in a place of leadership there is an art to changing your mind. The way in which you choose to change direction may create perceptual issues with your team that turn into trust or doubt issues. The best illustrate this is with a quote (of which I can’t remember where I heard it):
“A leader is quick in making decisions and slow to change them. Never the opposite.”
It means that a leader takes in all the information he/she can get within an a proper amount of time to make their decision without delaying it. If the person delays their decision they may be viewed as not having the ability to make the decision. People may believe they don’t have the foresight, courage and confidence to lead people in the right direction.
Some decisions must be delayed because of the severity of making the wrong choice in a morally grey area, but these hopefully are oddities. Consistently being decisive in a timely manner creates a sense of calm and trust with the team; which is what they desire.
On the flip side, if decisions are made too quickly, it leaves the impressions that mistakes will be made.
Now changing your too quickly make create even worse results. People begin to believe that all your decisions are poor as it seems that you do not believe in them. You must get people to prove their case as to why you change course to ensure others see you did not change lightly.
It’s a fine line that leaders walk in making decisions. It’s difficult enough to be in the position that effects others, but you must also manage perceptions.
Listen to your crew and lead in a direction you’re confident about, because changing course constantly will only bring you back to harbour.
Its better to make a bad decision than no decision at all….
Yeah that’s also very true, but I guess I expected people would understand than inherently.