Don’t Ask If You’ve Already Decided

Last week I posed a question in our staff meeting that didn’t go as planned. I asked what the team thought of having employees return to the office and their input didn’t exactly conform to my way of thinking — leaving me extremely frustrated.

Upon reflection, I realized that I had already made the decision but hadn’t shared that position with the team. By asking for their opinion I was setting them up for conflict when it didn’t match what I was thinking.

When it comes to making decisions it is important to first be aware of your position and then clearly communicate what you really need from your team. I see three options:

Decision Made. If you’ve already made the decision then make it clear to your team. “Here is what we are going to do.” Then ask for their help in refining or implementing what has already been decided.

Decision Leaning. If your position on the decision is not certain then share, “Here is what I’m thinking.” Then ask, “What do you think?” or “Do you see a better way?”

Decision Open. There will be times when you don’t know what to do or haven’t fully thought through the problem. In these situations, leverage the collective expertise on your team. Be open with them and share that you are not sure the best course of action. “Does anyone have a good idea?”

Though this seems pretty straightforward, I can’t tell you the number of times where I’ve miscommunicated what I need from my team on a specific decision. When you mismatch intention with your position it can lead to frustration. Make sure you know where you stand, clearly communicate that position, and then appropriately bring your team into the decision making process.

Don’t Ask If You’ve Already Decided was originally published in Horizon Performance on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.