We Don’t Make Decisions (And When We Do, We Don’t Stick to Them)
- Richard Nugent
- Apr 1
- 2 min read
What if the gap between a good team and a great team isn’t talent, experience, or even hard work, but decision-making?
Most teams don’t have an explicit decision-making process.
In fact, in twenty years of working with teams in fast-paced organisations, I have only seen a few.
Instead, they circle around challenges until one of three things happens:
Whoever shouts longest and loudest wins
The boss steps in and decides
Everyone pretends to agree but secretly does their own thing
If this is true of your team, you will already know that the result is wasted time, slow progress, and frustration.
Worse still, inconsistent decision-making erodes trust and ownership. If your team doesn’t know how decisions get made, why would they fully commit to them?
The Fix: Choose How You Decide Before You Decide
Great teams don’t just make better decisions—they decide how they will decide before the conversation starts.
Having a toolkit of clear decision-making tools that creates the degree of commitment required can be a game-changer.
They don’t have to be complex. In fact, the simpler, the better. Here are a few to consider:
Delegation to the accountable: The team agrees that the decision will be made by the person who will be held accountable for the success of the decision. This is typically the most qualified or experienced person on the topic. This group gives their view but the accountable decides. This works well when expertise is needed.
Majority Vote: The majority rules. Fast and democratic, but it is also the quickest way to ensure a vocal minority doesn't get their way. Vastly overused and the worst way to make big decisions.
Nominated Decision-Maker: A single person who is nominated for the final call. Works well when speed matters and there isn't a single right answer.
The Power of Three Process: A nominated decision-maker must seek input from three key people before deciding. Great for balancing speed and inclusion.
There are dozens more decision-making tools, including many that are much more complex.
The key is to be intentional. Before your next big decision, ask: How are we going to make this decision?
Clarity upfront leads to better decisions, more accountability, and stronger execution.
If you want to know more about how to make decision-making tools work with your team, feel free to get in touch.
And I would love to speak to you if you want a team that moves faster, executes better, and sticks to decisions. If you're ready to invest in the development of your team, email me now at richard@twentyoneleadership.com.