Leadership Is Decision-Making: Dialogue Is Vital, But Decisiveness Defines You
One of the core challenges of leadership is the ability—and the courage—to make a decision.
You can debate endlessly, smooth things over with charm, hold corridor conversations, or stall for time with more workshops, more feedback, more hypotheticals. All of these tactics have their place. They’re tools. But none of them are substitutes for the act of deciding.
Even a suboptimal decision, made with intention and clarity, moves things forward. Research by psychologist Barry Schwartz, author of The Paradox of Choice, suggests that having too many options can cause analysis paralysis. But Gerd Gigerenzer, director at the Max Planck Institute, counters this by showing that people often make better decisions when using “fast and frugal” heuristics—simple decision rules that cut through complexity.
So what’s the sweet spot? Leaders must generate options, but not drown in them. They must engage in dialogue, but not hide behind it.
Leadership is decision-making.
It’s not just about personal bravery. It’s about the impact those decisions have on stakeholders, morale, delivery, and momentum. A leader who fails to decide is not really a leader—they are a spokesperson, a facilitator, or at best, a very expensive placeholder.
Daniel Kahneman and Amos Tversky, pioneers of Prospect Theory, have shown how our fear of losses can outweigh our desire for gains. This explains why many leaders freeze—not because there’s no path forward, but because they’re fixated on the risk of criticism, rather than the opportunity of progress.
As a coach, a mediator, and a project manager, I believe in dialogue. Constructive dialogue surfaces options, explores risks, and builds buy-in. But dialogue alone does not deliver outcomes. My job is to support the decision-making process—not replace it. Whether I’m engaged by a board, a CEO, or a sponsor, there must be a point where a choice is made and action follows.
Because indecision is not neutral—it has consequences. It delays delivery, drains morale, wastes time and money, and damages reputations. Projects stall. Trust erodes. People leave. “Project paralysis” is real, and its root cause is often fear: fear of being wrong, fear of dissent, fear of doing something irreversible.
But if fear of reaction stops you from deciding—despite all the evidence, dialogue, and due process—then leadership has failed.
You don’t need to be reckless. You don’t need to have all the answers. But you do need to decide.
Because doing nothing is not safe. It’s just a slow way to fail.
References:
Barry Schwartz, The Paradox of Choice
Daniel Kahneman, Thinking, Fast and Slow (System 1 & 2 decision-making)
Gerd Gigerenzer, Gut Feelings (fast and frugal heuristics)
Prospect Theory – Kahneman & Tversky