Making decisions in familiar circumstances is relatively easy. But what happens when you’re faced with something you’ve never experienced?
Most leaders have a plan for things like layoffs, product launches, and expanding in new areas because they’ve faced these common situations before. You likely apply what’s worked in the past to the new situation.
But that same approach doesn’t work when facing something you’ve never seen before. The pandemic is the ultimate example of this.
Big and small, leaders face countless unfamiliar situations where they have to make decisions that affect the entire company.
It’s a lot like the game of chess. There are more chess moves than atoms in the universe. No matter how much the top players practice and study, they reach a point where they’re playing on their own and have to make good decisions.
Here are three chess-inspired ways to make decisions in unfamiliar situations:
- Pattern recognition. Your current situation may be new, but you’ve likely seen something similar before. Look for patterns of what did and didn’t work in the past and apply them to the new situation.
- Intuition. Don’t underestimate the power of trusting your gut. Stick to your intuition in unfamiliar situations and go with what feels right.
- Calculation. Think through all the potential decisions and calculate the possible outcomes. Take advantage of all your resources, including the people around you who can provide advice.
When leading in unfamiliar circumstances, you’re sure to make missteps. You’re human! But learn from your wins and losses, grow, and prepare for the next new situation.
I put together a video which talks about this in more detail. Please check it out below and if you want more content like this you can subscribe to my Youtube channel.
. . .
Companies with better employee experiences have more engaged and productive workers, higher profits, and the ability to attract and retain talent. In today’s competitive talent landscape, companies can’t afford not to invest in employee experience. Download your copy and start creating better experiences for your employees and customers today!
Comments