Page 175 - Roy W. Rice - CEO Material How to Be a Leader in Any Organization-McGraw-Hill (2009)

156 • CEO Material: How to Be a Leader in Any Organization

In all your thinking, consider the short- and long-range ramifica-
tions of your reasoning—Who will it affect? Does it risk people’s jobs?
Will it hurt the organization financially? What are the consequences of
it in 10 minutes, 10 months, and 10 years?

I ruminate. I mull things over. I think about it 10 times as many
hours as anyone else. It looks like a reflex decision, but I’ve been
thinking.

ƒ

To manage the downside risk, I look at what’s the best thing and worst
thing that can happen, where either will lead in five years, and can
I tolerate the worst outcome. . . . I’m more concerned about the down-
side risk for other people. I have 850 people reporting to me. If I mess
up and get fired, it’s no big deal. But if I make a decision that causes
50 people to lose their jobs, that’s a very big deal.

ƒ

I don’t bring blank sheets of paper to meetings with my board when
I’m needing to make decisions, but I do bring sheets of paper.

Make Decisions Yourself

Think about all this in the bathtub, in bed, or in church (the three places
psychologists say where ideas emerge from unexpected connections).
Let go of the idea of having to have the perfect decision. Don’t wait
for a brilliant “Ah-ha”; just keep looking for a smart one that integrates
all the information presented.
Write down your gut feeling and hunches; then put that aside just
for now. Don’t ignore it. Later, test it against what you ultimately do to
check your initial instincts and judgment.
Don’t broadcast your decision too early, especially if you’re in a posi-
tion of power. You can bias the helpful input of others.
Decide sooner rather than later. Holding back in decision making
is worse than making a wrong decision.