Leadership in Context with Keith Tucci
Episode 044
Decision Making
1 Peter 1:13
Therefore, prepare your minds for action, keep sober in spirit, fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
In this verse, Peter is talking to people who are thinking eternally and are willing to suffer for the decisions they are making.
The King James translates the beginning of the verse this way:
Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind…
In other words, to move forward, you cannot have any loose ends. This verse is referring to a runner in a robe; he would have to lift up that robe to be able to move forward. The concept is gathering up the loose ends of your mind. How do you do that?
Confirm and affirm the decisions you have already made,especially as they may be related to a decision that still needs to be made. Review it in your mind. When you are leading a group and trying to come to a decision, rehearse that decision with your group: “We’ve already decided this, now the only thing left to decide is this.” I have seen groups over and over again get into a debate over things they have already decided. That will paralyze leadership and prevent forward movement.
After Reviewing the decisions already made, then clearly list the decisions that still need to be made. Analytically look at the list, and determine why those decisions need to be made. Put a timeline to each decision.
The most distinctive sign of a leader is decisiveness.Being a leader, however, does not mean that every decision made will be the right decision. By not making a decision, you will almost always be making the wrong decision. The more decisions you make, the more things are going to happen. The more things that happen, the better the chance of forward movement.
As leaders, we can experience a paralysis of analysis.We don’t want to be in a place where we are afraid to make a mistake. 1 Peter 1:13 speaks of trusting God. Even when we do make the wrong decision, God is able to direct a moving car a lot easier than one that is sitting still.
Are you not making a decision simply because you don’t have faith?If so, go get faith. Decision makers have to have a fragrance of faith.
If you can’t make a decision because you need more information,what information do you need? Often, when I ask someone that, they can’t be specific about what information they need. That’s not about information, that is more about speculation. Not having enough information isn’t a good answer. More information is the easy part—knowing exactly what time the train runs, how far the ball will bounce, etc. As the decision maker, when you identify the additional information you need, it is your responsibility to go get that information.
Decisive people tend to look at what could possibly be gained; managers tend to look at what could be lost.There should be management in our lives. A good leadership team has both managers and leaders. We have to integrate both. But the person who is driving that car needs to be decisive so the team can be moved forward.
What NOT to do When Making Decisions
· Don’t make decisions in a vacuum. (e.g., using self-counsel or talking yourself into something)
· Don’t make decisions when you are emotionally high or low.
· Don’t make decisions when you are angry.
· Don’t make decisions when you are extremely disappointed.
· Don’t make decisions without prayer.
· Don’t make decisions that are not reflective of the Word of God.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer said, “Characteristics of excellence of the strong man is that he can bring momentous issues to the forefront and make decisions about them. The weak are always forced to decide between alternatives that they have not chosen themselves.”
Ask yourself: What loose ends need to be tied up that are blocking my vision right now and preventing me from going forward?
God has anointed all of us to lead in some respect, in some capacity, in some sphere. To be effective at that, we have to be people who are decisive, who do not fear the consequences of a bad decision.
Join us next week as Keith Tucci continues to put leadership truth in the context of the local church. And as always, please like, share, rate/review, and invite others to listen. See you next week!
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