Page 246 - Fearless Leadership

Aligning Emotionally and Intellectually 233

Once you make a Type 1 decision, you must learn how to gain emo-
tional and intellectual alignment from others. Often this stage is skipped
and leaders who make Type 1 decisions simply expect others to fall in line.
Without giving others an opportunity to fully discuss and understand your
decision, it will be viewed as an order to which they must comply.
Contrary to what most people believe, a Type 1 decision requires rig-
orous dialogue to gain the support of others. Just because you have made
the decision, you cannot forgo the alignment discussion without serious
consequences. In the alignment discussion, you must share what has led
you to make this decision and why you are asking the group for their full
support and alignment. How you talk to the group and disclose your per-
sonal passion for what you believe in and what you want to accomplish
sets the stage. People need to understand what is personally behind the
decision for you—why you are moved and inspired by this decision. Your
role during the alignment discussion is to take accountability for the deci-
sion you have made and its impact on others. You must encourage others
to ask any questions they have, raise all concerns, and express fully. The
context for the conversation is this: everyone is accountable for fully under-
standing why you have made a Type 1 decision and discovering how they
can emotionally and intellectually align with your decision as though they
authored it themselves. This context keeps the conversation from becom-
ing a debate or a rebuttal to dissuade you about your decision.
Do not leave decisions about the future of your team or organization
to guesswork. Tell people exactly what your decision is and define the con-
text and larger framework. With your committed partners, learn how to
master Type 1 alignment conversations so when Type 1 decisions are
essential, everyone has a method for moving beyond compliance to fully
endorsing and supporting the decision.

Type 2: A Decision to Be Made by the Leader, Following Group Input.
Type 2 decisions are the most common type of decision. In a Type 2 deci-
sion, the leader gathers information, input, and feedback from the group
but ultimately makes the final call. The team members’ responsibility is
to fully communicate their ideas, concerns, and considerations about the
pending decision, recognizing that the leader will make the final decision.
Unfortunately, many leaders wait until they know which way the wind
is blowing before they tell the group that this is a Type 2 decision. These