The Good Struggle

CHAPTER FOUR

HOW DO I MAKE CRITICAL DECISIONS?

The third enduring question of responsible leadership asks, How do I make critical decisions? This is a universal question of leadership, and men and women who have had real responsibility can all recall situations—often in vivid, wrenching detail—in which they had to make decisions that would truly shape their organizations or even decide their fates.

Critical decisions have always involved struggle, commitment, and courage. For business leaders, mistakes can mean hardship for hundreds or thousands of people and the end of long-cherished dreams. Getting major decisions right can mean jobs, opportunity, confidence, hope for many people, and a sense of pride and accomplishment for leaders. Leaders ...