Deciding to Maintain Control
One of the most important processes in any business is how and when decisions are made. This could be in anything, from deciding what to charge a client, to what vendor to use for a project, or even taking a stance on the interpretation of a new law (and being prepared to argue your position of course). Decisiveness is a quality many successful business owners and attorneys share. It’s a trait that lets the client know you are in control and will take care of them. Right or wrong, good or bad, there are always decisions to be made.
On the other side of the coin, one of the most devastating practices any firm or company can have is the tolerance of indecision. The spoils of an indecisive work environment are plentiful, and should be avoided whenever possible. Taking some reasonable time to consider a hard choice is one thing, but choosing not to act when action is necessary, to avoid possible unsavory consequences, is entirely different.
Many of us, myself included, have been a part of dealing with the consequences of indecision. We have seen peers given reprimands or written warnings for doing exactly what they were asked to do. We have seen circumstances turn from the ‘wait and see’ to ‘slow train wreck’ in a matter of moments. Worst of all we have seen work production time burned away on matters that, even if unavoidable, could have been handled much better from the beginning. There is a saying about hindsight that can be a warm blanket at a cold time to make us feel better, but truthfully the fact remains that a litany of problems can be sourced back to a choice that was or was not made at a critical moment.
Children, as usual, can be a wonderful way to prove this theory. For this example, let’s say your child asks you if they can have a friend come over and spend the night. But it is Friday and you are exhausted from a long week and just want to relax. Watching other people’s children so they get to relax is typically not a way for you to relax. Then there are the typical loud noises all night, the lack of sleep, and all the other intangibles of being the destination house. You want to say no, but you don’t want to be the bad guy. So, instead, you say maybe.
Now, depending on your child’s age, there are the two to five minute gaps between additional requests for a sleepover that you will be barraged with. Relentlessly. Like a metal fork squeaking on a glass plate, assaulting your faculties. Altering your mental state, and impairing your rational thoughts.
This may not be a popular opinion, but I think the anguish you suffer in this scenario is your own fault. Children sense indecision as weakness. If there is a way they can get what they want from you, they will do it. Humility for them comes later, with consistency. But this interaction is a great way to look at indecision under a microscope.
Good or bad, a decision at the point of the first request would have saved some sanity and a lot of time later on. This is parallel to making a decision in the workplace. Indecision takes you on a journey you are better off avoiding. Nobody likes being barraged or, worse, manipulated into doing something they don’t want to do. Make your choices and deal with the consequences, do not let others do it for you. This will allow you to stay in control of your own destiny, and save you more than one headache.
Always be the guardian of your own time, because your time is precious.
