Think about leaders you have worked for, collaborated with, admired, disliked or just plainly didn’t understand.  More specifically consider the different strategies they used to make important decisions, create partnerships, turn down an opportunity or motivate  employees to move forward to a greater service level.  Can you recall any leader using Inaction As A Strategy?

Inaction As A Strategy is a very simple course of action.  If there is a problem, conflict issue or progressive decision that needs to be made…and the leader is not ready to address it, inaction is often an accepted strategy.  But is Inaction As A Strategy a good one?  How about if we toss out a TOP 10 list of evaluation questions that measure it?

1. Is choosing to do nothing sending a progressive message?
2. As a leader will people understand your position if inaction is your plan?
3. Are you automatically falling behind as an organization if you stand still and be inactive?
4. What about customers…do they benefit from inaction?
5. If the New York Times was doing an article on your use of Inaction As A Strategy would the article be a positive one?
6. If now is not a good action time…what would make a later time better?
7. Can you give examples of using Inaction As A Strategy that were beneficial?
8. If your Board used Inaction As A Strategy for any issue…would you be happy?
9. Do all the changes in technology make Inaction As A Strategy more or less appropriate?
10. Finally, would the leaders you admire most be proud or sad if you used an inactive strategy on a critical issue?

Yes…yes I can hear all the voices reminding me that no two issues are the same and  maybe waiting to make a decision/take an action would be most appropriate.

Regardless, my TRIPLE III TIME advice:  Re-read the TOP 10!