Why Should You Explain Leadership Decision Making Rules?
When leadership decision making rules are clear, people know what role, if any, they play in the process. They know when a final decision is made and it’s time to implement. Unclear leadership decision making rules, create confusion and wasted time, as leaders repeatedly review decisions they thought were finalized and clearly communicated.
My recent conversation with Steve, the CEO of a real estate development firm, illustrates these dynamics.
Steve: I’m frustrated with Peter from our Public Relations group.
Me: What’s going on?
Steve: Maybe it’s a millennial thing. He has problems accepting and implementing decisions he doesn’t agree with.
Me: Well, I’m not an expert on millennials, but that may be less important than understanding what’s happening, or not happening, and how to address the problem. Can you describe a situation in which his difficulty accepting decisions played out.
Steve: Sure. I brought people together to talk about what we’re going to call our new downtown project. The group included two members of my executive team and two of their direct reports, Peter and Cheryl. We brainstormed and nominated 3 ideas. Then everyone identified their top choice. I thanked Peter and Cheryl for their input and asked my two executives to stay on. We decided on “The Heights” and announced it to the organization later that day. Within an hour Peter was in my office, making a case to change the name for the one he preferred. I told him we had already settled on The Heights.
The next day I was reviewing a draft of Peter’s press release announcing the project. It read, “Some people call it The Heights”. I couldn’t believe it. But then again, I could. When he doesn’t like the decision, he finds a way around it. So, I had another 3-way meeting with Peter and his manager to review the decision again. Peter repeated his case for a different name. I got frustrated, stood up and announced, “This is not a discussion. The decision’s been made. Implement it.” And walked out.
Me: I hear and understand your frustration. I also imagine that’s not the way you prefer to interact with Peter. Let’s take a step back. Do you know for sure that Peter understands how you wanted to make this decision? What his role in it was? And who was making the final call?
Steve: Well I would hope so.
Me: But do you know for certain? Have you ever explained your decision making rules to him?
Steve: No, not exactly. But shouldn’t he understand how it works?
Me: No, not exactly. Maybe he has a mistaken notion that when you ask for input, the process remains open with no clear end point. Maybe he thinks if he keeps trying, you’ll change your mind. I think it’s worth reviewing your leadership decision making rules with him, and possibly with the rest of the organization as well.
How to Explain Decision Making Rules
We discussed Steve’s decision making rules and dubbed the process Agree or Disagree and Commit.
When Steve shared the model, Peter responded, “This is helpful. I didn’t understand that this is the way things work.” One month later Steve reports he’s less frustrated and not wasting time going over decisions once they’ve been made. Peter is agreeing or disagreeing, then committing and implementing.