Decisions, Decisions, Decisions…
Leadership is hard work. Particularly when you think of all the factors that go into improving one’s leadership mindset, style, and approach. Jules Glanzer, in last week’s reading, indicated that “everyone is called to serve, and some are chosen to lead.”[1] The idea of “being chosen” comes with great responsibility in not only how we work on becoming better leaders, but also in our decision-making and cognitive clarity.
Shane Parrish’s book, Clear Thinking: Turning Ordinary Moments into Extraordinary Results, discusses our cognitive defaults, building core strengths, and structured decision making[2]. All these themes are very relevant for a leader. Taking building core strengths as an example, other authors such as Simon Walker reinforce the idea of “leading out of who we are.” And “who we are” is dependent on the work we do on our mind, heart, and even ego. More so, he highlights that this is critical because of the interconnected nature of a leader’s choices[3]. Parrish also advocates developing key strengths to counteract our cognitive defaults and improve our judgment and decision-making. These are:
- Self-Accountability: being responsible for our actions and decisions, knowing that leadership is a high calling
- Self-Knowledge: understanding our strengths, weaknesses, and biases. Duffy’s book reinforces the idea of challenging our existing paradigms and cognitive biases[4].
- Self-Control: managing our impulses and emotions. For me, this also applies to the distractions I encounter daily and limiting the noise from social media. Rock points out that our brains are easily distracted[5].
- Self-confidence: so that we can make sound decisions that could turn ordinary moments into extraordinary results.
A dilemma and a few possibilities
Of late, in previous blog posts, I have focused on how the leader can become better at wrestling with cognitive bias and intentionally doing the backstage work. However, we can also argue that a leader can be doing their best backstage work and developing strengths that counter cognitive defaults and still have a hard time leading a team or people who have not done the hard work on self-improvement. This dynamic can create instances of clouded judgment and consequent decision-making.
I suggest a few ways to navigate this dilemma. One is an intentional focus on Camacho’s clarion call to Mine for Gold. By doing this, the leader who is continuously working to lead “out of who they are” is also raising other leaders through coaching and, most importantly, setting an example. I still think his insight on seeing those we coach or support through the eyes of the Spirit is the game changer[6]. Secondly, we can use our influence to ensure the workplace culture remains conducive during our tenure(s). The 2024 State of the Workplace Culture Report outlines five fundamental elements to consider nurturing as a leader: honest and unbiased management, civil behaviour, meaningful work and opportunities, open communication, and empathy.[7] For all these to occur, the principles of leading from a posture of love (the attributes) can be a helpful guide. As my fellow leader, Jeremiah, suggested, how love is applied in the workplace can differ (in function) depending on the nature of the team or workplace. I agree with that view, and I also think a focus on the workplace culture is critical, given that many spend several hours at work.
Lastly, I also agree with Parrish’s views on encouraging dialogue and diverse perspectives—even those that differ from ours—and on considering the long-term implications of our decisions[8]. This could be a pathway to building stronger relationships and leaders within our spheres of influence.
[1] Glanzer, Jules. The Sound of Leadership. Plano, TX: Invite Resources, 2023.
[2] Parrish, Shane. Clear Thinking: Turning Ordinary Moments into Extraordinary Results. NY; Penguin Press, 2023.
[3] Walker, Simon P. Leading out of Who You Are: Discovering the Secret of Undefended Leadership. Carlisle: Piquant, 2007
[4] Duffy, Bobby, Why We’re Wrong About Nearly Everything: A Theory of Human Misunderstanding. New York: Basic Books, 2019
[5] Rock, David. Your Brain at Work: Strategies for Overcoming Distraction, Regaining Focus, and Working Smarter All Day Long. NY: HarperCollins, 2020
[6] Camacho, Tom, Mining for Gold. London: IVP, 2019
[7] The 2024 State of the Workplace Culture Report
[8] Parrish, Shane. Clear Thinking: Turning Ordinary Moments into Extraordinary Results. NY; Penguin Press, 2023.
About the Author
Alex Mwaura
11 responses to “Decisions, Decisions, Decisions…”
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Hi Alex,
As I read your blog post, I was reminded of something else I had read recently.
“It is possible to move men, through God, by prayer alone.” (J. Oswald Sanders, Spiritual Leadership, 106)
“It is not our prayer that moves people, but the God to whom we pray.” (Sanders, 108)
Praying for our teams and those we interact with is perhaps the most powerful option available to us. I have seen God at work in the lives of other people, and I know the work of conviction and change is through the Spirit’s power, so it is with regret that there have been times where I have failed to pray for others.
Hello Joff,
That is such a powerful prayer, and it’s made me think about how often I take time to pray for my teams. You are right; prayer is a powerful tool for invoking God’s power in both good and difficult situations. I appreciate this reminder.
Alex, you’re right, leadership really does require hard work. I appreciate how you connected self-reflection with the real challenges leaders face. In my own leadership experience, I’ve found that leading with love is far more effective than relying on authority. You mentioned distractions — how do you practically manage them during especially busy seasons?
Hello Ivan, thanks for sharing your reflection on leading with love vs leading with authority. I am glad you are taking this approach and know it will be impactful. After becoming aware of distractions, I am intentionally trying to remind myself to focus on what is a priority and block time for it. It’s not easy, but I will keep trying. Please share any tactics that you have tried and that have worked.
Alex,
Leading with love from a leadership perspective is a grace-filled action when working with others. Oftentimes, when I share with my team members or employees that I will pray for them because they are facing challenging times outside (or inside) the workspace, I receive interesting responses. The fact that this comes up in everyday conversations is where it might shock them. I have incorporated it into the daily fabric of who I am and who we are as an organization.
Looking at Parrish’s key strengths, how would you rate yourself through that lens? Where do you envision excelling, and what would be your most significant opportunity?
That’s a great testimony, Michael, and courageous in my view. I’m encouraged to hear that. Regarding Parrish’s strengths, I am trying to improve on each of them, with self-accountability a bit higher than self-knowledge and self-control. The area for improvement would be self-confidence. However, I wonder if these strengths change given the circumstances in our lives. What do you think?
Alex,
The strengths could switch order or priority based on the circumstances or maturity. Each of these requires a bit of experimentation and testing based on the culture or operating environment. When it comes to prayer or having discussions with employees, where I inquire about how they are “doing,” they know that I am asking about overall health and mentality, not just work tasks. This is likely why I have gravitated toward leading teams in the 150-250 employee range. You can understand a little more about each individual personally; it is much more transparent and meaningful.
As a younger leader, I would have been more concerned about the image I projected and considered this a risky area to inquire about others. I would have guarded my comments more as a result. What I have discovered over time is that, approached correctly, team members are willing to share, and they don’t consider this an infringement on their personal life. In fact, many have fed upon the interaction and respond with energy and story. I was stunned, but it was an extremely healthy dialogue and a launching pad for further meaningful conversation.
Thank you for sharing these insights, Mike. From your note above, I can see you lead from Who You Are, as Walker urges us to. And you are right, leadership is really about relationships and people.
Alex,
I enjoyed reading how you combined the 2024 State of the Workplace Culture and the love reference. You are correct that love has a deep connection to many of the categories listed in the 2024 Workplace reference. I did spend a little more time wrestling with how love and ‘meaningful work’ connect, and I am leaning towards the need for leaders to understand the people they are leading, as ‘meaningful work’ is dynamic. What is meaningful to me may not be meaningful to someone else.
If I, as a leader, truly love someone, do I need to take the time to know them well enough to determine what they find meaningful? I would love to hear your thoughts.
Thanks for the feedback, Darren. You raise a very good point on taking time to know our staff well, and you are right, what is meaningful to one person could be different for another. I think a leader needs to take time to know his/her team well enough to participate in their journey of vocation. It is a way of “Mining for Gold” and I admit it’s not an easy task and posture given the demands of leadership.
Alex, great post! You seem to have an excellent grasp of the concepts of many of the authors we have read this semester. Your analysis has been clear and concise.
The only point I had trouble with was that Parrish advocated developing four key strengths to counteract cognitive defaults and improve judgment and decision-making. Three of the four, I really didn’t have a problem with, but his take on self-control felt unoriginal and flat. As followers of Christ, self-control is not simply managing our impulses and emotions. This puts the human volition at the center of a very spiritual reality. It is listed as a fruit of the Spirit, not as a human trait to be developed through training. If we are to take the scriptures seriously, then self-control does not become an act of overcoming emotions or impulses. It is not the self in control, but the Self under control; under control of the Holy Spirit. He alone produces the fruits of the Spirit.