Strong Leaders Are Decision Makers

If you are not comfortable with, or do not like being the one making decisions, or are simply ill- prepared or lack the necessary confidence to do so, then you should not be a leader. In fact, as I have been telling over a thousand people in the last thirty plus years, while many ascend to positions of leadership, only those with decision making abilities and self- confidence are ever true and effective leaders. President Harry S. Truman had his famous sign, "The Buck Stops Here," which summed up the need for someone to have the final responsibility. Elbert Hubbard wrote, "It does not take much strength to do things, but it requires great strength to decide what to so."

1. One cannot be considered a leader if he does not openly and directly both take stands, and communicate his point of view, and the reasoning behind his actions. This must never be based wholly or in part on whether it is a popular position, but rather on what needs to be, and should be done. Many untrained people in leadership positions falsely believe taking the actions themselves is the difficult part, but in reality, it is making the decision to take the action that is more difficult. That initial decision, if arrived at in a systematic way, based on knowledge, expertise and evaluation, is the more relevant and far reaching action. Until, and unless someone takes this first step, no action can be commenced. When decisions are arrived at correctly, they lead seamlessly to a viable action plan to achieve the necessary goals. It is the planning that, for most of us, is both the most time consuming, and the most difficult.

2. Why is there so much difficulty for so many people, to make decisions in an effective manner? Perhaps it is their lack of training or their inability or unwillingness to commit to the necessary learning. Perhaps it is, in some cases, an attitude, of knowing better, and deciding to try to reinvent the wheel. Or perhaps it is their fear of failure, the action of inaction where the ever- dangerous self- doubt and lack of confidence take over (Should they not realize that it is often exactly this fear of failure that assures that they will not be successful). In some cases, it appears to be a need to be loved or liked by others, and they strive more for short- lived popularity than for achievement.

There should be a caviat given whenever anyone decides to pursue leadership positions that says, "Great leaders are decision makers." In my experience, I believe that quite often the reason we don't have better leaders is that they don't understand decision making and its many ramifications.

Richard Brody,with over 30 years consultative sales,marketing,training,managerial, and operations experience,has trained sales and marketing people in numerous industries, given hundreds of seminars, appeared as a company spokesperson on over 200 radio and television programs, and regularly blogs on real estate, politics, economics, management, leadership, negotiations, conferences and conventions, etc. He has negotiated, arranged and/ or organized hundreds of conferences and conventions. He's a Senior Consultant with RGB Consultation Services, an Ecobroker, a Licensed Buyers Agent (LBA) and Licensed Salesperson in NYS, in real estate.
Richard has owned businesses, been a Chief Operating Officer, a Chief Executive Officer, and a Director of Development, as well as a consultant. He has a Consulting Website ( http://tinyurl.com/rgbcons ), and his company PLAN2LEAD, LLC's site ( http://www.plan2lead.net/ ), and can be followed on Twitter


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