Tough Decisions: Be The Leader Your Team Wants and Needs

To be successful as a leader, there will be times when you will be faced with making tough or difficult decisions.

Some often delay making tough critical decisions because they fear criticism, making people angry or that they will be disliked because of their action. They’re right! There will always be someone who will be unhappy or angry. But that doesn’t change the fact that the decision needs to be made.Yet, despite this, some will jump through hoops to avoid taking timely and complete action. I (you) see this struggle all of the time. This approach can be a fatal error for a business leader in situations where success sometimes hangs in the balance based on their ability to make tough decisionson not-so-perfect information.When you have a tough decision to make, first be clear about the outcome you want to achieve and then second, take deliberate and focused action. Get tough decisions behind you so you can focus on moving forward. It takes bold action to achieve bold results.Nothing ever gets better by ignoring it.

Here are six proven steps that will help you “be the leader” needed to make tough, important and usually unpopular decisions:

  • Break the problem down into smaller pieces so you can get a clear understanding of its cause and the impact it is having.
  • Determine the desired outcome.
  • Identify what if any obstacles are in the way to resolving the issue.
  • Determine 1 to 3 possible actions (decisions) you can take.
  • Based upon what you know, pick the best way forward.
  • Decide and do it—don’t look back.
  • Related: 10 Steps to Make Each Day Better Than the Day Before