Over the years working with and reporting to a wide variety of leaders and managers, as you would expected, I have observed many different leadership behaviors around decision making.

Over time I have come to view this as a spectrum of decision making behaviors with an extreme practice at each end of the spectrum, let’s call those the “far right” and “far left” decision makers.

For this post I am discussing leaders or managers that are in a position of power and have an accountability for directing and influencing the decisions of those on their teams or teams that are aligned with them (depending on the overall size of their span of control).

Ultimately, based on their place in the organizations structure, they are accountable, whether directly or through influencing others, to ensure decisions related to their functional and strategic areas are made.

Far Left Decision Makers

For me this group of decision makers are the most difficult to work for or work with.  Issues, problems and decision recommendations are always greeted with questions, demands for more research or at a minimum directions which postpone the making of the decision.  It takes a lot of effort to get leaders or managers on the far left of the spectrum to commit and constant nagging and probing is needed.  Even that does not always elicit a decision.   This is very common in large bureaucracies.

Far Right Decision Makers

Much easier to work with this group tends to lean toward snap judgements.  Unlike their counterparts on the far left they make the decision quickly and forcefully.  It is clear how to proceed, however on occasion confusion arises from conflicts with other decisions and/or direction that does not always make sense and is hard to execute, albeit clear.

And the balance?

Like any spectrum a balance of far left, far right and down the middle behaviors, each used when most applicable, is the best approach.  Of course easier said than done, consider the following:

Under the concept that followers are also leaders, when seeking a decision think about which behavior best fits the needs.  Is it urgent, strategic, dependent on other factors, etc.   Based on this analysis conduct your decision request to the boss as a campaign and construct the way you approach your leadership/manager in a way that will help them see the best approach (that is do we need more information?; Should we be acting quickly?; and so on).   This is to say draw out your leader within to help gain a better resolution rather than just relying on others.