Decision Making Habits of Leaders - Part 2

UNCAGED CLINICIAN
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March 16, 2025

Trust the Gut!

If there is one skill that effective leaders possess it is the art of making decisions.

They don't wait for the perfect solution. They don't procrastinate. And they are willing to take risks, knowing that without them they will be limited in what they can achieve.

We finish up this mini-series on Decision Making Habits of Leaders today in part 2 of a two-part blog.

You can go here to freshen up on Part I.

Remember, decision making is a skill in which we all can develop proficiency.

We seem to have become a society that relies heavily on science in order to determine our steps.

Baseball and football are phenomenal examples. Every pitch thrown, every play run are now orchestrated around mounds of statistics that teams formulate.

Coaches pine over the perfect action to take that will result in a positive play for the team.

True, it is probably a good idea to have some knowledge of probable outcomes when we are making a decision; particularly when something big could be at stake.

However, great leaders rely on more than science.

They trust the data and they trust the gut.

While data (science) and gut (an internal feeling) may seem contradictory, they are actually go hand-in-hand rather nicely.

How? one might ask...

First, we don't know what we don't know. Thus, studying the data can be imperative.

We must consider the numbers, because numbers don't lie.

Probably of more value is to ask questions of, and listen to the team around you; especially to those people who are closest to what is being decided upon.

They are going to have a stronger pulse on the situation than you are.

Asking for their input will make them feel empowered (last week we talked about delegating decisions) and you as the leader are going to get a higher level of buy-in from them.

Once such data is acquired, trust your gut.

This may not be realized, but the gut operates through objective and subjective information. It is a powerful microcomputer within our bodies; almost as much so as the brain.

As leaders, we tend to have "seen it all". The more experience one has, the more the gut is able to process information.

This happens through recognition of patterns, connecting experiences, and then subconsciously formulating it all.

If you are a more experienced clinician who has treated hundreds of a particular diagnosis (shoulder pain, for example), then it is probable that you are able to move through an evaluation of that problem more quickly and efficiently now than when you were a new grad.

You do so because of your experiences with the issue, you've come to recognize certain patterns for particular "injuries", and you are able to deduce at a faster rate what you suspect is occurring.

If you are keeping track of these habits, #7 would be that good leaders Pre-decide as many decisions as possible.

Our brains are faced with thousands upon thousands of decisions each and every day.

Which shirt do I wear? What shoes? What do I want for breakfast, lunch, dinner? When am I going to make it to the store? Can I make it home on the gas remaining in my car? And on, and on...

Have you ever not felt like making even a simple decision because you were tired of making decisions?

Must of us have been there. It's called decision fatigue, and it's very real.

When we make too many decisions, the quality of our decisions declines.

One solution to avoiding decision fatigue is to pre-decide.

Decide now what you will do at a later time. For example: When I have to make on decision on (a particular situation), I will (take a particular action).

Maybe whenever you are making a decision on a purchase over a certain dollar amount you will agree to consult with your spouse first.

Pre-deciding decisions starts to automate them. Automation should follow your values.

Haven't thought about your values? We suggest you do so for a number of reasons.

Being able to make better decisions is one of those reasons.

Values are important because when your values are clear, decisions become easy.

In making a choice on something, we should first ask: "Does this align with (my/our) values?"

The answer should be a "yes" or "no". The decision made should fall in line.

Pretty simple.

Finally, when making decisions, do what is right, and trust (God) with the results.

The decisions that we make as leaders effect a great number of people; our customers, our team, their families, our families.

Ultimately, our decisions impact ourselves, our reputations, our legacies.

Ask those around you. Gain their input. Consider everything, and do what is thought to be best.

What we can control is making the best decision possible. The unknown is that we can't be certain of the outcome, or how others may react.

Be prudent in making your decision. Be decisive. And then if you are a person of faith, turn to it for wisdom.

Very few decisions ever made are perfect decisions. So don't be fearful of making a wrong decision.

Focusing on the perfect decision will ultimately limit your progress.

Pursuing wise decisions will move you and your business forward.

At the end of the day, the choice that you believe in the most is likely to be the best one.

You have heard it said that "imperfect action beats perfect inaction".

When it comes to decisions, full commitment to a decent plan is far better than little commitment to a great plan.

Thus, decisions must have full buy-in.

A you ready to grow as a Leader in your business? Visit uncagedclinician.com and schedule a free Growth Strategy Call with us.

Let's work together to break through the ceiling and unlock the full potential of your practice.

Also, be sure to check out our website for other resources!

Your Success is our success!

The UNCAGED team