“What you permit, you promote.” _Craig Groeschel
I like the story John Maxwell included in his book, The 360 Degree Leader, about how Ronald Reagan learned early in life the importance of making decisions.
Maxwell recounts, “When he was young, a kind aunt took him to have a pair of shoes custom made. The shoemaker asked him if he wanted his shoes to have square toes or round toes, but Reagan couldn’t seem to make up his mind.
“Come back in a day or two and let me know what you decide,” the shoemaker told him. But Reagan didn’t go back. When the man saw him on the street and again asked him what kind of shoes he wanted, Reagan said, “I haven’t made up my mind yet.”
“Very well,” the man responded. “Your shoes will be ready tomorrow.”
When Reagan went to pick them up, he discovered that the toe of one shoe was round and the other was square. Reagan later said, “Looking at those shoes taught me a lesson. If you don’t make your own decisions, somebody else makes them for you.”
And this perfectly illustrates Lesson six on how to make great decisions: To not make a decision is a decision.
To not make a decision is a decision.
The question is, is that okay?
To answer that I am reminded of one of my most-practiced axioms about making decisions: Never make a decision until the decision absolutely, beyond a shadow of doubt, must be made. (And for the record, this axiom, on average, has worked splendidly for me.)
So to answer the question I laid out before you – Is it okay not to make a decision – the answer is Yes, in many cases.
I’ve learned that most things take care of themselves if you just leave them alone.
I’ve also learned that when a decision is needed, the longer I can wait before “pulling the trigger” the greater the odds I will make a good decision. Waiting gives us time to learn, process, and harness our emotions.
In other words, don’t be that guy who cries, “Ready! Fire!” and then regrets the aim. Of course aiming before firing may allow a crook to run off with your stuff, but it also greatly reduces your chances of shooting a friend in the back who is just taking out the garbage.
Bottom line, every time you’re faced with a decision remind yourself: “It’s complicated.” Waiting, postponing the decision, doing nothing for the moment, sitting on your hands…call it what you will, but sometime the best decision is to not make a decision.
But… (You knew that was coming, didn’t you!)
…eventually a decision has to be made about most thing.
So here’s a couple more questions to help you figure out if you are the one who should make the decision and make it now.
Ask yourself…
First: “Do I like the direction things are going?” If the answer is yes: wait; if the answer is no: do something about it.
Second: “Am I okay with someone else making this decision?” If you are, let them.
The ONE THING for today: Not to make a decision is a decision, and that’s okay, until it’s not.
For the entire series on How to Make Great Decisions follow the following links:
- Does this decision even need to be made? See: Before Making That Decision
- Does this decision need to be made now? See: Wait a Minute!
- Am I the one who must make this decision? See: Pass the Buck Every Chance You Get
- If I make this decision, what will be the next decision that must be made? See: Before You Throw that Stone
- The person who can make the decision will. See: You Don’t Get to Make that Decision
The ONE THING 