The Deciding, Doing Gap

There’s an old saying. “Five frogs sitting on a log. Four decide to jump off. How many frogs are left?” Simple enough and the most common answer is “one.” Of course, the correct answer is “five," since deciding to do something and doing it are two different things. In business, this gap can be a constant source of frustration and disappointment.

Working with leadership teams to build a focused strategy and developing action plans to execute and stay on track, I’ve noticed a common pattern. Deciding to do something doesn’t always mean it happens. Delays, second thoughts, changing priorities, unforeseen obstacles and the like are often identified as reasons for not following through on decisions. And the most often deferred decisions involve people, specifically matters of management generated turnover.

Separating from employees who clearly lack the attitude and/or the aptitude to learn, grow and serve organizational stakeholders is not easy and should not be taken lightly. Yet, when it comes to moving forward with these people decisions, the time gap between the realization that a change is needed, deciding to move forward, and then actually acting on that decision can be vast.

Team members recognize shortcomings of co-workers whose behavior and/or performance are not at standard. They are waiting and wondering when a change will be made? What’s taking so long?

Rationalizing these delays takes many forms. This rarely if ever alters the validity of decision itself. The result is a feeling of conflict, stress, and pressure as the gap between what needs to be done and taking action widens.

On the flip side, the overwhelming sense of relief that comes with executing on these decisions cannot be overstated. Executive leaders report feeling as though a weight has been lifted, and the path forward seems clearer and within reach.

Effective leaders make sound, thoughtful, informed decisions. Once made, they act, gaining credibility and earning the trust and respect of organizational stakeholders.

How are you and members of your team doing at executing on decisions? Do you set quarterly performance targets and benchmark your progress against those goals?

For more information on ways to bring structure and process to your planning process, contact me at joe@ajstrategy.com.