Exercising Judgment in the Heat of the Moment: How to Be a Strategic Firefighter?

By Krishna Pendyala

When your house is on fire, what actions can you take?  AND, what do you need to do to avoid kindling new fires in the process?

“Most panic-driven decisions rarely achieve their ultimate goals!”

We are all dealing with some very difficult circumstances. It is during this time, we as leaders need to exercise sound judgment and make wise choices. We need to be strategic firefighters and not simply react hastily to the crisis without considering the broader landscape and the long-term consequences of our actions.

A number of CEOs and leaders seem to be reacting from fear and making impulsive decisions that could adversely impact the future of their organizations. Their people may need more support, compassion and understanding and not more pressure to perform during these challenging times. I have witnessed how wise decisions can achieve amazing levels of goodwill and loyalty from both staff and customers.

Over the past 15 years of advising business owners and key executives, I have found that many struggle and underestimate the influence of hidden forces on their choices. Some natural tendencies of humans are at odds with the behavior of the systems that govern our lives.

It is critical for our leaders to become aware and manage these instincts that can be counter-productive especially at a time when we cannot afford to make more mistakes.

For example:

• How to stay hyper-focused without letting things fall through the cracks
• How to avoid analysis paralysis and take action
• How to be less impulsive and more conscious
• How to integrate perspectives using the Tetra Approach to avoid blind spots

We need to establish and practice a Crisis Response Regimen that can be applied swiftly to any challenging situation.

1440 Multiversity is generously offering my 75 minute workshop on how to exercise judgment in the heat of the moment on May 21, 2020 at 12 noon PST, free for its members. Please sign up for a free membership to 1440 Multiversity Online Learning before you register for the workshop. https://1440.tv/program/exercising-judgment-in-the-heat-of-the-moment/

You can use the tips and tools shared in the workshop to help you better manage your thoughts, your time, your team and your expectations during this period of unprecedented change and uncertainty.

Together, we can get through this crisis.  No one of us is smarter than all of us!