In analyzing Tony’s top-ten decisions, three key themes emerge that can provide you with a sense of what to consider when you’re faced with tough choices. When Tony makes a decision, he:
- Roots it in firmly held beliefs and values.
- Relies on out-of-the-box thinking to find nontraditional solutions.
- Is open to other’s ideas and solutions.
What is also evident is Tony’s growth as a decision maker through his ongoing self-reflection and learning. Effective leaders understand their decision-making processes. They acknowledge their biases, blind spots, and vulnerabilities. They routinely analyze past decisions and try to learn from them. Admittedly, we are not privy to Tony’s journals or his "after-action reviews." However, it seems likely that his awareness of how he makes choices has helped him continuously improve his decision-making process over the years.
Be aware of what goes into your decisions. Trace how you arrived at a particular decision in the recent past and where you went wrong—or why you made savvy choices. Rather than beat yourself up over bad decisions or pat yourself on the back for good ones, go beyond self-approval and disapproval to analysis. You can almost see Tony watch the wheels turn in his brain as he measures a choice. This self-analysis will help you make better choices.
TONY’S DECISION-MAKING AHA!
Choose based on what’s in your heart, but don’t be afraid to use your head and show some imagination.