Forge Ahead

There are a lot of articles written about healthy debate, team alignment, and co-creation. They are filled with insightful advice about team dynamics. Seldom do they discuss when to stop talking and start doing. I’m not saying that there isn’t value in talking; however, when there isn’t a process and deadline for making a decision and taking action then how does it really serve? Can an organization in today’s world afford to waste time? Intuitively, the answer is “no”.

Early in my career, I fell in the camp of “it’s faster if I do it myself.” As I rose through the ranks and started managing people, I learned the power of teamwork. And, as I reported to many different kinds of bosses, I discovered the paralysis that affects everyone when decisions were not made. The effect on morale was as devastating as the effect on the bottom line.

The solution is simple; thought the execution is not always easy. Choose a decision model and follow it through to completion:

• Decide what criteria is important to making the decision.
• Understand the time constraints.
• Push decisions down to the lowest levels possible.
• Use the power of the people involved to do their jobs and support organizational solutions.

Agility is critical to keeping pace in today’s world. And, knowing when it’s time to “walk the walk” is just as critical.

This Week: Take the time to look at how decisions are being made in your organization. Are teams given clear criteria, objectives and timelines? Is there feedback to the team on actions taken or not taken? Is the organization making the best use of the team’s time? There is always room for improvement.

In Next Week’s Post: Identifying an organization’s mindset