Managing in the Gray

What Can I Live With?

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to work hard on implementation. You may also find that

your decision isn’t “final.” Gray areas are uncharted terrain,

so you shouldn’t be surprised to encounter resistance, sur-

prises, disappointments, and unexpected opportunities. You

may also find that your “final” decision needs adjustment

or even significant changes, once the implementation starts.

And, despite your best efforts, you may find that you need

to continue hammering away to communicate your decision

clearly. It is often very difficult to get a clear signal through

the ambient noise inside organizations.

Most important, once you have resolved one gray area

issue, you have to get ready to handle the next one—and

the one after that—because gray area decisions ar ...