A Day in the Life of a Senior Leader

Chapter 9. How to Delegate Decisions

One of my least favorite moments as a leader is when you ask me to make the decision.

First, yes, I know it’s my job to make decisions, especially the complicated and high-risk ones.

Second, it’s true I’ve acquired ample experience over the last 30 years, and the chance that I can make informed decisions on particular topics is high. In the case of a novel situation, related experience probably gives me an excellent chance to make a prompt and high-quality gut-feel decision.

Third, and finally, I am 100% clear on when a decision is mine and only mine to make.

These three qualifications do not change my discomfort—no…disappointment—when I’m asked to decide. Before I explain why I’m disappointed, I’ll explain three tactics I use that might get you to decide.

Ask Questions

Let’s start by setting some ground rules for this decision you are bringing to me. Importantly, you’ve already decided you can’t make it because of complexity, experience, risk, or straight-up fear. Just as important, it is a hard decision. Just a couple seconds into your explanation, I can tell why you’re bringing this to me—it’s a big, not a little, decision.

I will ask you questions regardless of my experience, thoughts, and first impressions. Lots of them. My immediate goal with these questions is to educate myself. See, if the decision were trivial, low risk, or obvious, you would not need me. You would’ve made it.

My next goal, and it happens more than you’d think, is ...