What do you do if your decision-making process is hindered by obstacles?

Before looking for external obstacles, it's often worth looking within. Reflect on what self-limiting beliefs, assumptions or mindset blocks could be hindering your progress. This can be hard to do on your own. I suggest seeking a trusted peer, mentor or coach to help guide your reflective process. Once this is done and you've acknowledge the possible roles you're playing, then it makes sense to consider the external views, pressures and limitations that could be having an impact.

The first question you should be asking is this: Do I have the right people around the table to make this decision? Forget your organisation structure, think carefully about the decision being made and get the right people to come to the meeting. Often people stick to the organisation structure, which means you don't have the right skills and knowledge in the room to do what you need to do. If the decision is going to impact a senior leader within the company, decide if they need to be there also, to ensure the process is transparent and they can give a different viewpoint. So in light of everything you're going to talk about - have you got the right people seated at the table?

Prioritization is key as, generally speaking, 80% of results are driven by 20% of the work. So understanding what that 20% is and making time for those activities is crucial to your success, There are several methods you can leverage to help prioritize. Some people like to use the 1-3-5 rule, planning 1 big, 3 medium, and 5 small tasks to accomplish per day. My personal favorite is the Eisenhower Matrix, which has users categorize tasks by importance and urgency. Tasks that are both important and urgent should be prioritized, while tasks that are neither should be avoided. Tasks that are either urgent or important should be delegated or scheduled for later as appropriate.

Erfolgreiche Führungspersonen sind in der Lage schnell und vor allem klar zu entscheiden. Dies ist nicht immer spontan möglich. Machen Sie sich in diesem Falle klar, was sie gerade an der Entscheidung hindert. Sind es fehlende Informationen, ein Feedback oder sehr persönliche, emotionale Gründe? - Kümmern Sie sich in diesem Falle tapfer um die eigentliche Ursache. Lösen Sie das Problem und entscheiden Sie. Oft entstehen durch «nicht entscheiden» grössere Probleme als durch einen kurzfristigen, oft korrigierbaren Fehlentscheid.

Resilienz ist nicht nur die Fähigkeit, Rückschläge zu überwinden, sondern auch aus ihnen zu lernen. Führungskräfte, die Resilienz vorleben und fördern, schaffen robuste Teams, die auch in unsicheren Zeiten bestehen können.

Emotionale Intelligenz ist ein Schlüsselkompetenz für Führungskräfte, um effektiv auf Herausforderungen zu reagieren. Die Fähigkeit, Emotionen bei sich und anderen zu erkennen und zu managen, kann den Unterschied zwischen Stagnation und Fortschritt ausmachen.

Leaders must develop a warrior’s mindset which means that they will always look for the solution in the problem. Obstacles must be reframed by asking the following questions: Why is the imagined issue? What is the real issue? How will it impacting my goal or end result ? What do I need to do? What are my options? What are the alternatives? How much time do I have? How much time do I need? Do I need to change my attitude, mindset, resource group, skill sets, delegate or reassign tasks and/or responsibilities. Answering these questions can bring the needed clarity, mindset confidence, steps and actions that we need to take and point into the right direction towards the right decisions and desired outcomes

As leaders, when our decision-making process or decisions encounter obstacles, the first step is to take a moment to step back and reflect on the entire process. It's crucial to remain flexible enough to adapt the decisions or the process to progress. Hurdles are inevitable, but they're also an integral part of the journey. We must possess the ability to navigate them with confidence and determination. All it requires is belief in oneself, in the team, and in the process. Make adjustments as necessary and forge ahead.

In addition to the steps mentioned, here are a few more considerations for overcoming obstacles in decision-making: Identify Root Causes: Understand the underlying factors driving obstacles. Stay Flexible: Embrace adaptability to pivot when faced with challenges. Engage Stakeholders: Involve relevant parties for diverse perspectives. Monitor Progress: Track implementation and adjust strategies as needed. Incorporate these considerations to navigate obstacles effectively and drive success.