"Decisions--What's Imperative?"
Your Success Thought for the Week of May 31, 2006
Leaders make decisions all day long, some major and
some minor. Some are bold moves, other are
run-of-the-mill choices. The key is that they make
them.The two challenges I find with my clients decisions are a) they often don’t have enough information on which to base the decision and b) their timing is off. Think of the best decisions you’ve made. You were most likely feeling confident, very present and well- informed. In The 21 Indispensable Qualities of a Leader, author John Maxwell explains: “Effective leaders understand the peak-to-peak principle. They make major decisions when they are experiencing a positive swing in their leadership, not during the dark times. As NFL fullback Bob Christian says, ‘I never decide whether it’s time to retire during training camp.’ He knows not to give up when he is in the valley.” To that I would add that in training camp Christian doesn’t yet know how his team will perform during the actual season. The evidence is not yet available. How does a leader gain the information needed? All good leaders surround themselves with a team of advisors. Even if you’re a small business owner, you have your attorney, CPA, financial advisor, etc. If you’ve not yet secured this team, now’s the time. Oftentimes, it’s necessary to go outside of this team to attain the data. If timing permits, seek out other experts in your field - clients, customers, anyone involved. Listen without interrupting or interjecting your opinion. This is an information-gathering exercise. Then, select the best timing. The saying ‘Let’s sleep on it’ contains wisdom. Studies show that pondering a problem prior to going to sleep allows your subconscious to work on it, producing the answer in the morning. This worked for me with college calculus years before I was aware of this process. Please note that I said ‘ponder’ the problem, not ‘stress’ over it. Stressing over our problems only provides jagged, cloudy thinking. Slowing down to contemplate alternative approaches allows a smoother, more effective process. Timing also has to do with your own rhythm. Some of us are more alert and decisive in the morning, others at 10:00 at night. Know your best time and, when possible, save your major decisions for that time of day. Having said all of this, the most effective leaders that I personally know tell me that they gather the necessary information, know when the time is right and base their decision on their ‘gut.’ “It just came to me and I knew it was the right direction to proceed.” Each of you is a leader in your world. Being decisive is important. Why not make it easier by gaining the information you need, moving forward when the time is right for you and of course trusting that gut, inkling or intuitive hit? Enjoy your discoveries and have an outstanding week! Ann
![]() Executive Coach & President Golden Visions Success Coaching, LLC
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re-reading.” If you would like to subscribe to this newsletter, or, you would like to help us spread SUCCESS, click here GVSuccess or forward this newsletter to your friend or colleague in it's entirety. Please join us in congratulating Ann for having recently been awarded the prestigious designation of Master Certified Coach. Ann is one of only seven Master Certified Coaches in Oregon, 372 in the United States, and 493 in the world to have qualified for this designation. As always, it's great to be in touch with our subscribers in 'ten' countries!! Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Netherlands, New Zealand, Spain, United Kingdom, and USA. If you receive these 'Thoughts' and live in a country that I have not mentioned, please let me know so I can salute you. Welcome All New Subscribers Copyright & Permission Copyright © 1998-2006 All rights reserved Permission is granted to either reproduce copy or distribute "Your Success Thought for the Week for May 31, 2006" as 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, 21775 Rickard Rd., Bend, Oregon 97701, www.GoldenVisionsSuccess.com
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