One of the biggest enemies of progress in any team is indecision.
Nothing wastes time more than a leader or team who cannot make decisions early enough. As someone who has worked with many teams and leaders over the years, whether corporate, academic or volunteer settings, I’ve seen a variety of decision making styles with their pros and cons. But one of the most costly traits I’ve observed is indecision – with myself being guilty of this on occasions.
Leadership isn’t just about making the right decisions—it’s about making decisions that keep the team moving forward. When leaders hesitate, the consequences ripple through the team, costing time, money, motivation, and, most importantly, opportunities.
If you can’t make a decision, life will make one for you. And the outcome is rarely in your favor. Delays often become critical setbacks. For example, when in one team we couldn’t decide when to host an event – by the time we make up our mind, the best venues are booked, and the sponsorship windows have closed.
Opportunities don’t wait for hesitation.
It is important for any team leader to know this, and can make or enable making decisions that will give the team the best chances of success. This doesn’t mean every decision you make will be perfect, but even imperfect decisions can drive momentum. Indecision, on the other hand, stalls progress, deters motivation your team loses when they’re not moving forward.
For every leader out there, leadership is about having the courage to decide. Make the call, learn from the outcome, and keep moving forward. Because in leadership, the worst decision is no decision at all.
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