Left or right? — The cost of silence vol. 2
“He who hesitates is lost.” — Chinese proverb
In the ever-changing world of business, leaders are constantly confronted with uncertainty and incomplete information. Yet, one of the most critical traits of effective leadership is the ability to make timely decisions — even when the path ahead is unclear. The cost of inaction is real, measurable, and often far greater than the risks associated with making the wrong call.
A choice with consequences
Inaction is not neutrality. It’s easy to fall into the trap of believing that delaying a decision is a safe, neutral stance. In reality, every moment you spend hesitating is a decision in itself, and these micro-decisions come with their prices. Indecision signals a lack of leadership, breeds uncertainty, and undermines trust within the team.
Costs — Delayed decisions often lead to increased expenses. For example, sticking to outdated systems or processes can result in higher maintenance costs and frequent downtime. Replacing those will probably be a costly and lengthy project. But if you fail to start on time, it might slowly kill your business.
Opportunities — While standing still, the world around you is in motion. Inaction means lost chances to capitalize on market trends, innovate, or respond to customer needs.
Morale — Teams operating in a fog of uncertainty become disengaged and demotivated. When employees sense hesitation at the top, frustration builds, productivity drops, and top talent may seek opportunities elsewhere.
Momentum — The longer a company waits to address strategic gaps — whether in leadership, technology, or talent — the harder it becomes to catch up, putting future growth at risk.
Be courageous!
Decisive leadership does not mean acting recklessly or ignoring input. On the contrary, the most effective leaders are those who can gather available information, consult with others, and make informed choices — based on whatever imperfect data they have at hand.
Insecurity and fear of failure are common reasons to hesitate, especially when the stakes are high or the information is incomplete. However, the antidote is not to wait for perfect clarity (as it’ll never come!), but to build resilience and seek diverse perspectives.
Avoid the trap!
Careful, don’t swing the pendulum too far. A shoot-first mentality is not your friend. Being decisive doesn’t mean making decisions hastily without adequate consideration or critical thinking. Not seeking diverse information, omitting evidence, failing to avoid decision biases, or, god forbid, letting our ego dictate the decision is definitely not the way to success. As usual, there is a fine balance to be found here.
My recommendations
Embrace humility — admit what you don’t know, but don’t let it paralyze you.
Gather input from your team and trusted advisors. Leadership doesn’t have to be a lonely business.
Weigh risks, but recognize that inaction is itself a risk. We usually weigh options A, B, and C, but tend to forget to include the cost of inaction in the equation.
Communicate your decision and rationale clearly to your team.
As always, be prepared to adapt and learn as new information emerges. A decision is never taken for eternity. Be ready to adjust the course if needed.
“No decision is a decision” is not only a fallacy but also a clear failure of leadership with significant consequences. The paralysis of indecision permeates every aspect of operations, hindering productivity, eroding morale, and stalling innovation. Don’t hesitate, take the first step on one of the possible paths today!
Food for thought
How do you detect if you’re hesitating too long? Do you have a “rule of thumb” about feeling confident about a decision? Democracy is a nice idea, but it can sometimes lead to indecision. How do you involve the team in preparing a decision and weighing the different options without prolonging the decision-making process?
I would love to hear from your personal experiences.
Further read
