Healthcare. Church. Business. Social services. Education. No matter what environment you work in, leaders are facing complex issues and strong opinions that can ultimately shape the decisions they are considering. And every leader feels it. There are trends, traps, and even trickery that are contributing to a time of confusion and uncertainty. For example: Remote work. Bitcoin. The elections. War in Israel. The economy. These are only a few of the topics that make it easy for a leader to unintentionally step into a firestorm. Yet, it is a leader’s job to ensure decisions are made, especially during times of uncertainty. Here are five ways to make smart decisions in a time of trends, traps, and trickery.

1. Investigate – Be quick to test assumptions and slow to buy in.

“Anecdotal” is far different from “evidential.” Anecdotal is based upon experience rather than facts or research. Many leaders fall into the trap of following the advice of popular, often charismatic leaders without testing the assumptions and evidence behind their advice or guidance. Don’t assume that every author, speaker, or podcaster is providing sound advice. I recall reading an article in a national publication that was written by someone that I happened to know. I also knew that some of what he said was incomplete and, from my perspective, inaccurate. If I had not known him, I could easily have accepted what he was saying as accurate. It is a good reminder that we need to test assumptions and be slow to buy into every pitch.

2. Team up – Build a unified team of diverse thinkers.

In general, groups make better decisions than individuals so long as the group does not lack “harmony” (as noted by Dr. Daniel Goleman) and is not too big. You will likely get greater benefit and make more timely decisions if you keep the group smaller – such as 3 to 7 participants. Have you ever watched a large group try to make a decision? Like a beehive without a queen, there is a lot of confusion and no clarity of direction. The larger a group becomes, the more complex decision-making is, which often results in gridlock.

3. Slow down – Uncontrolled speed is the enemy of sound decisions.

How much time does a pilot have between the initial problem and loss of control? 10 seconds! Phil Oppenheimer, Lt. Col. USAF (Ret) said,

“One faulty assumption by pilots is that their day-in, day-out expertise in the blue region will give them the skills, discipline, and awareness necessary to prevent or recover from an airplane upset event.”

In other words, we often assume that our expertise will be enough to guide us through a critical issue. Fortunately, leaders often have far more than 10 seconds to act and can take the time to slow down before acting.

4. Seek counsel - Wise advice is the cure for stupidity.

In his research on Why Smart People Do Dumb Things, Dr. Mortimer Feinberg identified what he called the “pillars of stupidity.” The top three are pride, arrogance, and narcissism. And a by-product of the pillars of stupidity is an unwillingness to seek advice. Our consulting team can identify dozens of times when we could have helped a client prevent or reduce the intensity of a crisis if they had sought advice earlier. Remember the words from Proverbs 15 – wise leaders seek counsel.

5. Be courageous – Take action while humbly making corrections as you go.

Robert Greenleaf, the well known author of The Servant as Leader, said,

“On an important decision, one rarely has 100% of the information needed for a good decision no matter how much time one spends or how long one waits. And, if one waits too long, he has a different problem and has to start all over. This is the terrible dilemma of the hesitant decision-maker.”

At some point, leaders need to decide. With decisions come potential risks as well as rewards. So, after testing assumptions and seeking counsel, take action – and then make corrections as you go.

To learn how our consultants can help you become a leader who makes smart decisions, contact us.

Jay Desko is the President & CEO of The Center Consulting Group and brings experience in the areas of organizational assessment, leadership coaching, decision-making, and strategic questioning. Jay’s degrees include an M.Ed. in Instructional Systems Design from Pennsylvania State University and a Ph.D. in Organizational Behavior and Leadership from The Union Institute.