How to Make Decisions

The most eternally creative thing you can do is make a decision.” – Dave Miller

Making decisions well is central to good leadership. You’ve likely seen some decisions that leave you shaking your head and wondering, “What were you thinking?!” It doesn’t have to be that way.

 “The Church is two or more gathered (Matthew 18:20) and centered around Christ, acknowledging His authority and presence, discerning and declaring the will of God, making decisions for the Kingdom, declaring those decisions and acting on them corporately.” (Definition by Keith Yoder)

We must always start (and complete) the decision-making process with our hearts (read: affections), our minds (read: attitudes), our souls (read: ambition), and our strength (read: activity), centered on Christ. Unless you just want to build your church instead of His. So how do we do this?

 

Remove fear

Fear = Fog. Fear of what people will think, fear of what it will take to do what the decision implies, or fear of making the wrong decision are always bad motivators. Fear will cloud your judgment. Fear = False Evidence Appearing Real. It will mess you up. But stop and imagine what it feels like to decide without the weight of “what will they think?” attached to it. I couldn’t help but grin either.

 

Clarify what decisions you are making and which ones you are not making

Decisions always impact other things, but it’s essential to avoid trying to make all the decisions that will be affected by a single decision simultaneously. It will immobilize you. Imagine shopping at the grocery store for the next 175 meals in a single shopping trip. I hope you like Spam.

Identify what’s making it a difficult decision

There’s something intoxicating about problem-solving that is so detrimental to decision-making.  Don’t confuse decision-making with problem-solving. (Thank you, Doug Fike) Make the decision first, and (only) then get into problem-solving. Talk about why this decision feels hard. It will help you process the issues tied to it, the problems the decision creates (or solves).

 

Listen for the still, small Voice

Sometimes when I am trying to make a decision, I’ll step back from all the processing I’ve been doing, and I’ll listen for the answer I’ve kinda known God was giving me, but I was mentally debating because I didn’t like or understand how it would work. I ask, “If I had to say (ignoring any implications of the decision) what I think God is saying about the decision, what call would I make right now?”

 

Decide how long of a time frame each decision should take to make (5 minutes or five months?)

Leaders know which decisions take time and which don’t. Agreeing about how long a decision needs to take will help everyone. Knowing a decision will take three months gives freedom because there is an end date. It gives us hope and a feeling of forward motion.

And never delay a decision you could make quickly. It’ll be like that email you didn’t want to respond to right away, which somehow ended up way down in your inbox, only to be discovered months later—poor thing. Also, avoid rushing a decision that needs time. You can nuke a steak, but it’ll get complicated, and you’ll feel discomfort in your stomach.

 

If it’s a complex decision, simplify it by breaking it into several smaller decisions

It’s the same principle as eating the elephant (How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time.)

 

Filter the decision through your core purpose, your WHY, and the big picture

Every decision. That’s not an overstatement. Every decision should support your WHY. Even if it seems insignificant, or like it’s an exception, or like one you are inexplicably drawn to. Don't do it if it doesn’t support who you are as a church. On the contrary, if it does strengthen your WHY, make sure you share that when you communicate the decision.

 

Remove your name

Sometimes decisions are tough because we have way too much on the line personally. We have our reputation or our sense of worth. Echo the Psalmist’s prayer in #26 as he says, “Clear my name, God.” Remove your name from the decision. I don’t mean you shouldn’t take ownership of a decision. I mean, the decision must not dictate who you are and what you’re worth. God does that. (Hello, son. Hello, daughter.)

I’ll leave you with an excellent resource from Chip and Dan Heath. It’s a book called Decisive. (heathbrothers.com/books/decisive) You’ll learn the four common pitfalls in making decisions, and you’ll add a ton of strategies to your arsenal to avoid them.

I cheer you on as you forge ahead with wisdom and decisiveness in your leadership!

-Dave Helmuth
(purchase my book, "Worship Fertilizer: (the first hundred)" HERE)

How to Make Decisions(Nº 24)