We all have our warts.
Mine is the desire to make decisions quickly. Probably it comes from my days in startups where time is scarce and a decision needs to be made.
Or its just my personality. Whatever.
It’s an area where I’ve been making steady improvements over the years. But sometimes the old ways creep up when I’m not looking.
One of the many lessons I’ve learned is the notion of sleeping on tough decisions. If you are uneasy about making a call then don’t. Go sleep on it. Some of my favorite role models and founders are those that have the patience of an oyster. They are comfortable with the idea that tough calls need time to sort out.
There is a tendency in life or startups to make a decision with conviction rapidly and then move on. The team needs guidance and an organization needs a path. Leaving a meeting without a decision feels gross. Balancing thoughtfulness with a healthy sense of urgency is extremely challenging and the best do it well.
Perhaps this idea comes naturally to others. And I’m sure there are folks with the opposite challenge: those that find themselves spinning with indecision. But if you are like me, the best answer is to sometimes take a breath, go for a walk or run, hug your family and then sleep on it.
You’ll get to the right answer. Sometimes it just needs a little more time.