Decisions Define Us

I have not always made good decisions. Some were really bad, like when I gave Lou Ann a bird feeder for Christmas. Yeah, I really did that. I am thankful she never used the bird feeder against me nor allowed that to define our marriage.

Since decisions define who we are as leaders, the ability to make good ones is an indispensable skill. Decision making often falls into four distinct categories and this awareness helps leaders who want to improve their capacity to choose wisely.

Decisions due to default are made by leaders who allow others to decide for them. They pass the buck by saying the issue is outside their realm of responsibility or they choose to ignore. In either case they have to live with the consequences even when they don’t like them. Decisions due to default reflect poor leadership skills because leaders never truly lead.

Decisions made with haste are made without an appropriate amount of reflection and leaders use this decision making process when they think a conclusion is needed quickly and speed is essential. Tim Pollard, Vice President of Peacemaker Ministries, often observes that speed is overrated. Hasty decisions lack the wise counsel needed from others familiar with the situation.

Decisions through ignorance are made when leaders think they know enough to decide on their own. One wise individual noted that we don’t know enough about something to know what we don’t know. When an organization is led by those who make decisions through ignorance, the organization is headed for significant trouble. Decisions are being made without knowledge and the church or organization suffers.

Decisions by reflection are those that are deliberately designed to achieve maximum influence within churches and Christian organizations. These have been made after careful thought and with significant input and wise counsel about the total situation. President George W. Bush, in Decision Points, makes this observation about how he made an important decision by reflection about stem cells while in the White House. “I told Margaret and Deputy Chief of Staff Josh Bolten that I considered this a far-reaching decision. I laid out a process for making it. I would clarify my guiding principles, listen to experts on all sides of the debate, reach a tentative conclusion, and run it past knowledgeable people. After finalizing a decision, I would explain it to the American people. Finally, I would set up a process to ensure that my policy was implemented.” (Decision Points, Page 110-111)

Most will never have to make decisions that impact millions of people like the President of the United States. However, we are confronted every day with making decisions that may impact lives for eternity and that should give us pause. What is the process you follow when you make difficult decisions? Is there a decision making principle or insight you use that you can pass along to us? Please add your comments below. I am sure others will really appreciate it. I know I will.

~ Jim