(Adapted from Marine Principles “Make sound and timely decisions”)
A leader must be able to assess a situation and make a sound decision based on that assessment. Hesitation or a reluctance to make a decision leads your staff to lose confidence in your abilities as a leader. Loss of confidence will then create confusion and hesitation with your staff.
Once you make a decision and discover it is the wrong one, don’t hesitate to revise your decision. Your staff will respect the leader who corrects mistakes immediately instead of trying to bluff through a poor decision.
- Develop a logical and orderly thought process by practicing objective estimates of the situation.
- When time and situation permit, plan for every possible event that can reasonably be foreseen.
- Consider the advice and suggestions of your staff whenever possible before making decisions.
- Announce decisions in time to allow your staff to make necessary plans.
- Encourage your staff to estimate and make plans at the same time you do.
- Make sure your staff is familiar with your policies and plans.
- Consider the effects of your decisions on all members of your team.