Adaptable, but Decisive

Leadership is a balancing act.

When considering the qualities of effective leaders, sometimes they seem to contradict each other. How can we be decisive, yet also open to options and willing to change? What’s up with that?

It comes down to being able to read the situation and the people involved. Some situations require decisive action, and people gain confidence from a leader who can say, “Follow me! I know what to do!”

But in other situations, that person looks like an arrogant idiot. And none of us want to be seen that way.

And the person who simply says, “What should we do? What do you think we should do?” looks weak and indecisive, which erodes confidence.

The balance point often comes down to something like: “Okay, here’s what I think we should do, but I want to hear your ideas for how we can improve this plan, or if you see a problem I’ve missed.” If we really listen and are open to making adjustments when they make sense, we often hit the right balance for our teams.

(image generated using Midjourney)