Page 67 - Fearless Leadership

54 FEARLESS LEADERSHIP

Blind Spot 9: Not Taking a Stand

Leaders who do not take a stand are indecisive, hold on to their views too
long, and vacillate to the point that it drives everyone crazy. Teams spin
in an endless cycle of no decision and no action, and eventually people
give up. An indecisive leader cripples a group or organization by sapping
the energy and drive of people.
Often, indecisive leaders make their case and ask others to respond.
Then they think about the input and return to the team to revisit the same
topic. The group, once again, walks through the tedious process of reex-
amining the same problem. This dreary and mind-numbing pattern frus-
trates people.
Vacillating on decisions is frequently based on the fear of not looking
good by making a mistake or miscalculation. But the opposite is true. Not
taking a stand or making a decision offers no immunity; people know what
the leader is attempting to do.

Symptoms of Not Taking a Stand
• Decisions are not clear.
• Decisions are not made or take a long time.
• Decisions are often reversed.
• Meetings are unproductive and inefficient.
• Group members work around the leader and get decision-
making authority from others.

Louise was a senior vice president in a utility company. She had been
in the position a little less than a year, and people had already decided
she was weak, ineffective, and indecisive. No one was able to get any
work done or move ahead with projects because she hedged on giving the
go-ahead.
Louise and her team faced an infrastructure overhaul problem that
would require significant support from an outside supplier. Her team thor-
oughly researched the options and provided her with a strong recommen-
dation, which she said she fully supported. But she held up the funds for
the project and kept coming up with excuses for not releasing them. Her
group was frustrated and discouraged, and the problems were multiplying.