One of the toughest challenges for someone in a leadership position is having to decide who could do a job or perform a task best?!  his challenge even shows up when you have to consider different organizations or businesses that would perform the best given a new project or contract… because the right decision is never totally about money or convenience. Interviews could be good or bad… input from others may be a benefit…but ultimately you have to choose?!

Oh yeah there is also one more concern: Don’t Decide For Someone.

What do I mean?

Unfortunately in my career there have been times when I DECDIED that a certain person or group wouldn’t be interested in the initiative I was trying to get going.  And only later did I learn that a great candidate really was interested…and was professionally hurt because I did not give them any kind of chance to discuss the opportunity. The result was often a “not-so-ready” person was given the new assignment and did an OK job… but didn’t last. And the individual that cared a lot about our Agency’s progress and performance… no longer was available to restart my innovation.

Therefore, please make a note that one of the leadership lessons learned that I believe is critical to make progress happen… is: Don’t Decide For Someone. And here are a few ideas to consider:

• Look in all… even non-traditional areas for potential candidates.
• Don’t allow yourself to decide: “they really wouldn’t be interested in this.”
• Don’t place people in a specific category that limits their potential.
• ASK THEM about their interest and input.
• Finally, make your special assignment decisions only after you have completed a professionally comfortable, progressive review of available options.

Wishes for instant progress sometimes causes occupational blindness when trying to make the right decisions. Therefore, it is standardly appropriate to apply the: Don’t Decide For Someone professional approach… every time… EVERY TIME!