Mastering the art of decisive leadership without losing your team’s voice
Samin Saadat
Executive Director,
Posted on Nov 29, 2024
Every leader faces the age-old question: When do I act decisively, and when do I take the time to listen? It’s a delicate balancing act between moving quickly to meet deadlines and ensuring every voice is heard. But leaning too far to one side could lead to decision paralysis—or worse, alienating your team.
At Jalapeño Employee Engagement, we’ve seen how companies thrive or struggle depending on their decision-making approach. The key lies in knowing when to prioritize speed and when to embrace inclusivity.
When to Involve the Team: The Value of Inclusivity
Inclusivity fosters a strong sense of ownership among team members. When people feel their input is valued, they are more likely to support and implement decisions with full commitment.
When is inclusivity most effective?
"Going slow in the early stages by embracing inclusivity lays a solid foundation, enabling you to move faster and more decisively in the steps that follow."
A Word of Caution
Inclusivity, while powerful, can be time-consuming. Introducing too many opinions into the process risks delaying decisions, potentially causing frustration or missed opportunities. Striking the right balance is key to leveraging the benefits of inclusivity without hindering progress.
When to Make the Call: The Power of Speed
Not every decision can wait. Leaders often need to act quickly, even without full input. In situations where a wealth of context or data is already available, further discussions may create unnecessary noise. In such cases, it’s more effective to focus on evaluating the information at hand and making a decision, especially when the cost of delay outweighs the cost of making an imperfect choice.
"Making a timely decision with the information you have is better than delaying when waiting costs more than acting."
When Speed Matters Most
Quick decisions convey confidence and authority, but it’s important to balance speed with sufficient context. Acting too fast without fully understanding the situation can lead to costly mistakes. Striking this balance is key to effective leadership under pressure.
Collaboration vs. Top-Down Decision-Making
In 2014, Google introduced Material Design, a unified design framework used across all its platforms and products. To create this system, Google adopted a collaborative approach, gathering input from designers, developers, and product managers across various teams. Each group contributed ideas to ensure the design system met diverse user needs while maintaining a cohesive brand identity.
While this approach fostered strong alignment and team buy-in, it came at the cost of speed. The extensive feedback loops and discussions delayed the launch, creating challenges in time-sensitive product rollouts. However, once implemented, Material Design strengthened Google’s brand consistency and usability, proving the value of collaboration for long-term success.
In 1982, Johnson & Johnson faced a crisis when its Tylenol capsules were found to be tampered with, resulting in fatal poisonings. In response, CEO James Burke made a top-down decision to recall all Tylenol products from shelves without consulting his broader team. This bold move prioritized consumer safety over immediate financial losses and demonstrated the company’s commitment to ethics.
The rapid action prevented further harm and minimized public relations damage, earning back consumer trust. However, internally, some team members expressed concerns about the lack of collaboration in such a significant decision. Despite this, the case remains a classic example of effective top-down decision-making in emergencies.
Collaboration builds trust but may slow progress. Top-down decisions ensure speed but can alienate employees.
Your Decision-Making Superpower
In leadership, there’s no one-size-fits-all answer. The true skill lies in reading the room, understanding when to pause and listen versus when to take the reins.
When you balance speed and inclusivity, you’ll not only make better decisions but also earn the trust and respect of your team. And remember, even the best leaders make mistakes. The key is to learn and adapt as you go.
So, the next time you face a tough call, ask yourself. “Do I need more voices in the room, or is it time to trust my instincts?”
With over a decade of experience in organizational and industrial psychology, we at Jalapeño Employee Engagement help leaders and companies create thriving, inclusive workplaces. We use technology and psychological science to drive positive change in organizational and leadership development, strategic planning, and essential skills training and coaching. We offer services and tools designed to enhance well-being, innovation, and productivity for small and midsize teams. At Jalapeño, we combine research with practical expertise to bridge the gap between theory and real-world application. We have designed and delivered courses in organizational development and leadership coaching for master’s students and executives. These programs align academic insights with the evolving needs of today’s workforce.