Workplace decision-making often reminds me of a "Peanuts" comic
strip I saw where Lucy and Charlie Brown were discussing their
New Year's resolutions. "I'm going to be a changed person next
year," Charlie tells Lucy. "That's a laugh," Lucy replies.
"You'll be wishy-washy." "Well," Charlie says defensively, "One
day I'll be wishy and the next washy."
I once worked for a boss who was a master of Charlie Brown
decision making. One day she'd give a "definite maybe;" the next
an "indefinite perhaps." But most of the time, it was "I'll
think about it and get back to you." Of course, she never did
and no amount of follow-up produced an answer. I came to realize
there was a black hole in her desk where decision requests were
put. Usually time ran out on the issue, the opportunity passed
or no-decision was rendered. Her staff felt thwarted and
frustrated.
Later I discovered it was just as frustrating to work with as to
work for these wishy-washy maybe-people. Intertwined projects,
assistance or information needed from other departments, and
common company goals, mean dependence on others to accomplish
our work responsibilities. Having to deal with indecisive
maybe-people in a critical role or on a team means stalled
progress.
Maybe they're afraid to make a decision; maybe they're lazy;
maybe they're overwhelmed; maybe they're incompetent; maybe they
can't decide. Whatever the reason, results are reduced.
Like the Scottish proverb says, "Maybe's a big book." So if you
want to be winning at working, it's a book you don't want to
read or to use. At least not for long. It's one thing to use
think-time to make the best decision you can and another to let
a decision happen by default because you never got around to
making your own.
In twenty years in management I learned it's better to hear a
quick "no" and move on to other options, projects, or
opportunities than wander in the land-of-maybe where little can
be accomplished. In many workplaces "maybe" has become the
diplomatic, politically correct way to say "no." So, the sooner
you decide if that applies to your situation, the sooner you can
move to plan B and get results.
However, the problem with too many maybes is not limited to
those we need decisions from. We're all decision makers no
matter our role. There are teammates, clients, customers, family
or friends you owe information to, responses to, decisions to.
The difference in how you decide will leave its mark. Gordon
Graham puts it this way, "Decision is a sharp knife that cuts
clean and straight; indecision, a dull one that hacks and tears
and leaves ragged edges behind it." Want to be winning at
working? Cut clean. Be decisive.
(c) 2005 Nan S. Russell. All rights reserved.
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