All my decisions no matter how they were made, have not been always the best. I have made lots of bad decisions in my life. These decisions were made when I was young and not so young. Some were made in the ministry, while others were made in the business world. I have made bad decisions pertaining to my family and even in my marriage. I have never set out to make a bad decision. My methodology of decision making changed over the years but sometimes one will raise itself up and bite me on the behind. Some bad decisions I have made resulted in personal despair and some have even been repeated with an expectation of better results; but not very often has the result changed.
So what can I do to improve my decision making process? How can I make them and significantly increase the quality?
In my experience, there are a few common factors that lead to me making a bad decision.
Haste is the enemy of good decisions – Some would say that the mark of a good leader is the ability to make a quick decision. We want to make the decision to overcome the anxiety of indecision. I often find myself wanting to make a decision just to get out of the responsibility for making it. I completely understand the need for decisions in a crisis. When the avalanche is coming your way, it is probably better to run, then to assess the percentage of survivability based on the gross weight of the mass coming in my direction. But these avalanche decisions are far and few between. I have discovered when the potential outcome is significant, however, the more time I can give to it the less likely I am to make a mistake. And the vast majority of conclusions should not be made ad hoc. In my experience, taking an extra moment has improved the outcomes. Learning when to wait, seek God, the counsel of others, and for better personal discernment is part of maturing, but can help us avoid some of the costlier bad decisions.
Analysis paralysis – In as much as we have to slow down in our analysis, so also we must not be set in stone waiting for all the information to be available. Waiting on all the facts to made available slows and even stops progress. There are times when a fast decision is easy; even prudent. If I know the right answer—if it has a Biblical basis, for example, or my conscience is clearly convicted but we become reticent to implement because it would mean a lot of work. Work for me and work for others. I’ve learned that waiting seldom makes the decision easier and often only complicates the process. There has to be a medium between not to fast and not to slow. Again, from my experience some decisions make matters worse by delaying them.
Happy People – All of the decisions I have made in the past have had people implications. I have yet to make a decision that everyone agreed with. Management, leadership, decision making is seldom the popular position to take. People pleasing as a decision motivator rarely accomplishes matters of worth. It often makes the worst decision of the options available.
Angry Decisions – I am not a very emotion person in my senior years. When I was younger you probably would have seen a completely different personality. I was angry often. I would lash out in retribution towards all that didn’t agree with me. In my mind I could hear, “I will be a better friend than an enemy.” Often emotions were the downfall of my process. If I’m angry—or emotional in any other way—I tend to overreact or under react. Emotionally based decisions, especially immediate decisions, are often ones I tend to regret later.
Without consultation – “Without counsel plans fail, but with many advisers they succeed.” (Proverbs 15:22). Two things here. I have worked with committees, boards, councils, and assemblies. True, I may have an opinion but I also must have the ability to allow others to change my mind. “Don’t confuse me with facts, my mind has been made up,” is not a good place to be. Secondly, a part of leadership is standing alone at times, never-the-less rarely are we really alone. We should always walk in the counsel of God’s Spirit. If it is only up to me to stand in the leadership gap and none are included or even allowed to make the decision. I have come to the realization that God is there.
Reaction or Adhocracy – Ultimately I want to work from a plan. I work best from a script. A set of absolutes to which I will not move. And no matter the passion, conviction, and verbiage, there is a line I will not cross. I need to be in a place where decisions are made before before the decision is needed. We want proactive decision-making. That’s obviously not always possible, but in my experience, I’m more likely to make a bad decision when I’m reacting to a situation, rather than having thought about the scenario and my response beforehand.
Perfect Love casts out fear – We are called to walk by faith, yet fear is often a more powerful initiator. But I’ve learned, when I decide because I’m afraid to—or not to—do something, I almost always make a mistake. Following my faith gut, even when afraid, is part of leadership. And part of life.
There are probably a hundred or more different ways to make a bad decision and only a few ways to make a good decision. But for me this is my decision making list.