When There is No Clear Answer, Find the Next Step

When bogged down with a difficult decision, keep the momentum going by taking the next step, even if you don’t know what the final answer or solution will be.

Insight: I recently was working with a group of managers who had to decide whether to replace their company's customer database now or wait until next year.

Director: We have other more pressing problems, but we have to replace our current database sooner or later. We're having a tough time deciding if we can prioritize it now. 

Me: Do you have an estimate for the actual cost? 

Director: No, we just know it's going to be expensive, and I don't want to waste our time if we're not going to move forward right now? 

Me: Would getting an estimate, although a bit time-consuming, help the group make a more informed decision? 

Director: Yes, it would.

Just like in this example, many people and teams get stuck circling around a decision. Often, they get so overwhelmed by thinking about the pros and cons of each decision, that they don't do the work, such as collecting more information, that will help them make the decision.

Key Action: When bogged down with a difficult decision, keep the momentum going by taking the next step, even if you don't know what the final answer or solution will be. 

When a team encounters a challenge and no solution is clear, forward progress on the project may be halted. If you don't see the solution and how everything will come together, just take the next step and see what the world looks like from there. A clearer picture will often develop that is worth the initial investment of time and energy.

Here's a more personal example. My friend's daughter, Josie, is entering her junior year in college. For the last few months, she has been debating whether she is going to try out for the Varsity soccer team and she asked for my advice. I pointed out all the stress that this decision has been creating for her and simply suggested that she try out and then decide whether or not to join the team. She responded,

"You're right. If I get accepted, I'll know a lot more about the coach, my teammates, and then I can choose whether to join the team. And if I don't get accepted, well, I'll never look back and regret not trying out."

However, be cautious about one pitfall. Sometimes, decisions are just difficult, and we drag them out even though we have enough information. In this case, the next step is to actually make the decision with the information that is available. 

Back to the business example from above, we didn't solve the problems in that meeting. All we did is help everyone continue to move towards the goal. At the end, one of the team-members said:

"Before this meeting, the project was just daunting. I didn't know if the goal was possible and I felt overwhelmed. Now, I see that the next step we need to take is to gather more data in order to make a decision as a team. I don't know if the project will move ahead, but I'm excited for the first time in a while."

In general, if a decision is bogged down, look for the best way to keep the momentum moving forward-- make a decision, get more information, create a plan to make a decision, etc., just keep moving forward toward the goal.