The entrepreneurial world is full of tough decisions, MAINLY because there are unlimited opportunities and we’re at the helm, navigating EACH and EVERY one… not only for the good of our business, but also for ourselves, our clients and our families.
Do we attend this upcoming event?
Do we offer a discount for this program?
How much should we charge?
Should we hire / fire this person?
Should we continue in a business relationship or call it quits?
Do we pursue this opportunity or no?
Is this a great opportunity or a distraction?
The decisions we make every single day — even the small ones — add up. It’s no wonder Steve Jobs committed early on not to “decide” what to wear each day… One less thing to decide.
Right now, I’m standing on the “other side” of having navigated / wrestled through a tough decision myself. Is it one that has the potential to make or break my business? Definitely not. But it IS one that carries some emotional weight to it, which I have to recognize and honor.
In situations like this, it can be hard to see the forest for the trees. Plus, I so often “go with my gut,” that it’s been a long time since I’ve really sat down and considered the step by step of how to make decisions in my business.
That’s what led to this post…
I WANT TO FIRST SEPARATE OUT THE VARIOUS THINGS TO CONSIDER WHEN MAKING A DECISION AND — MOST IMPORTANTLY — EXPLAIN WHY AND HOW TO MAKE FAR LESS DECISIONS IN YOUR BUSINESS.
FIRST, what goes into making a business decision? A LOT, really.
We want to be sure that we filter decisions through the following three lenses:
1)INTEGRITY — to your core beliefs / philosophies
2) ALIGNMENT – with where your big vision is pulling you; and
3) RESPECT (for self and others)
These three lenses makes the decision-making itself SIMPLE. Let’s be honest… if you take the time (and the QUIET) necessary to sift your options through these lenses, you may come to the realization I came to this week:
THE DECISION IS PLAIN & SIMPLE.
TRUTH BE TOLD, IT’S ALREADY MADE.
SIFTED THROUGH THESE THREE FILTERS, YOUR DECISIONS MAKE THEMSELVES.
YOU ALREADY KNOW WHAT TO DO.
Does it allow you to move forward in integrity? NO? It’s a no.
Does it align with your core, future vision for your business? NO? It’s a no.
Does it allow you to maintain respect for yourself and show respect for others? NO? It’s a no.
Of course, making the decision is only ONE PART of the equation. You also have to walk that decision out. But I can’t be the only one who feels that MAKING the decision IS THE HARDEST PART. Once it’s made, or — according to the three filters above — it’s made itself… well, for me at least, the hard part is over.
There’s more to say, but I want to move on. Steve Jobs wore the same thing every day because he KNEW how taxing even the SMALLEST of decisions can be. THIS IS WHY we often do so much better on EXTREMELY limited diets. Less decision = more compliance to the plan.
the same is true in business.
I haven’t made a decision like the one i made this week in a LONG TIME, SIMPLY BECAUSE I HAVE GUIDELINES SET UP that make decisions for me.
“Rules” that govern:
- how I do business,
- how I interact with clients and members,
- when they have access to me,
- what I expect from team members,
and — of course — - I have my own personal list of behaviors or circumstances I simply will not tolerate no matter what.
These guidelines are like a FENCE around your business or life. You know when they are crossed, and if you’re serious about them, you know your role is to “apprehend” the person, thing or circumstance busting through your fence and deal with it right away.
No agonizing.
No back and forth.
No writing and re-writing emails in your head.
No talking it to death with a friend or colleague.
THAT PROVERBIAL FENCE IS THERE FOR A REASON. HONOR IT.
The LESS “agonizing” — you know the kind — decisions the better… The LESS things you have to sift through each day, the more focused you can be on taking new ground. The LESS back and forth you do in your own mind over a decision, the QUICKER you can get back to taking action.
So…. what TOUGH decisions have you faced lately?
How did you make these decisions?
How can we help each other?
What questions do you have?
What decisions do you feel like you wrestle with most often?
