I am often asked: “How do you know when the time has come to stop discussing an action and simply move forward with a decision?”

“Leaders must find a balance between speed and deliberation. One facet of making decisions involves knowing how to act when there’s not much time to deliberate.

“Even though leaders should take as much time as is possible to make decisions, the process of making the decision should begin immediately. If a decision is due in five days, the time to start researching and considering the matter is now, not four days on.

“As mayor, when something came up, we’d begin addressing it quickly. We debated and rgued the best solution. I think that approach was one factor that gave the city a degree of confidence in its leadership. Sometimes people just want to see issues being addressed, even if they don’t always agree with the result.

“The fur could fly at some of the meetings of my top staff. I find debates enormously helpful and would create them specifically so that I could hear more views on just about everything. If advocates express their viewpoints forcefully and with passion - all the better. I always make better decisions if I hear three or four different views.”

If you’ve reached the boiling point on a decision and dread going back to it one more time, try out some of Giuliani’s keys:

• Act fast—get the decision out on the table
• Debate—get as many people’s views as is possible
• Set a deadline for a decision
• Communicate that decision and the rational broadly, to everyone who has an interest in it. If they don’t agree at least they feel heard.

Finally, listen to anyone who has a valid opinion: “You cannot generate heartfelt debate unless the participants believe that the outcome is not predetermined. If your staff knows that you’ll defer to the higher-ranking person’s opinion or choose the idea pitched by whoever’s known you longer, they’ll never develop their case to the degree you require.”

See how you can make your decisions more dynamic this week. Who else should you involve? Who have you avoided? What has taken too long? What needs more deliberaton? Set deadlines and act!

Enjoy your discoveries and have a decisive week!

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Permission is granted to either reproduce copy or distribute "Your Success Thought for the Week of July 27, 2005" so long as this copyright notice and full information about contacting the author is attached. The author is Ann Golden Eglé, Golden Visions Success Coaching, LLC, 541.385.8887, 1972 NE 3rd St, Suite # 307 Bend, Oregon 97701, www.GVSuccess.com