Deciding, and explaining.
WHAT TO ESTABLISH FIRST
Whether this is your decision.
WHAT CATEGORIES EXIST
Decisions you make alone Decisions you make after consulting Decisions the team makes Decisions made above you
WHY CLARITY MATTERS
Consulting on a decision already made is transparent and corrosive.
WHAT TO STATE UP FRONT
Which kind this is.
WHAT CONSULTATION MEANS
Genuinely considering input before deciding.
WHAT IT DOES NOT MEAN
That the majority view prevails.
WHAT TO DO AFTER DECIDING
Explain the reasoning.
WHY
People accept decisions they disagree with when they understand them.
WHAT TO ACKNOWLEDGE
The arguments you did not follow.
WHY
It shows they were heard.
WHAT TO AVOID
Deciding by avoiding a decision Reversing under pressure from the most persistent person Pretending consensus where there is none
WHY REVERSING UNDER PRESSURE IS DAMAGING
It teaches that persistence rather than reasoning wins.
WHAT TO DO WHEN YOU ARE WRONG
Change the decision, and say why.
WHY THAT IS DIFFERENT
Changing on new information is judgement; changing under pressure is weakness.
WHAT TO DO ABOUT DECISIONS MADE ABOVE YOU THAT YOU DISAGREE WITH
Argue before, support after.
WHAT NOT TO DO
Distance yourself from it to your team.
WHY
It is recognised, and it destroys your standing with everyone.
