A Leader’s Roadmap Part 4

(Intro from Part 1: Businesses are becoming more complex. It’s harder to predict outcomes because intricate systems interact in unexpected ways. 

Staying on track is much easier with a guide or checklist. Michael Useem, a professor at The Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and bestselling author of The Leadership Moment, has published The Leader’s Checklist to create a clear roadmap for navigating any situation. I will present in the blog in condensed form, with sample questions accompanying each principle.)

 4. Take Charge and Act Decisively: Embrace a bias for action by taking responsibility, even if it isn’t formally delegated. Make good and timely decisions, and ensure they are executed.

It’s essential to start as soon as possible and take advantage of the momentum.  While inertia and the status quo may exert an irresistible pull, you need to muster the courage and just do it. Just get it started. Your first attempt doesn’t have to be perfect or complete. At some point, inertia will shift from resisting change to supporting it, and small changes will snowball into big changes.

a. Are you prepared to take charge, even when you are not in charge?
b. If so, do you have the capacity and position to embrace responsibility?
c. For technical decisions, are you ready to delegate, but not abdicate?
d. Are most of your decisions both good and timely?
e. Do you convey your strategic intent and then let others reach their own decisions?