Decisive Leadership Divides
Tony Blair, the past prime minister of the United Kingdom said, “That when you realize that every decision divides, it really helps. It is just part of life. When you turn to the right, there will be some who want you to go to the left, and vice versa. It is the nature of making choices. When we accept that every decision divides, we quit trying to do the impossible, i.e., pleasing everyone, and we begin making the right choices, knowing that our choices will divide.”
Every decision divides. It makes sense doesn’t it? Yet many of us fail to make decisions because we are afraid to hurt others. We find ourselves trying to please everyone and in our indecision we fail to please anyone. We elevate the opinion of others and shoot at the target of people pleasing. It is a miserable way to live and the ultimate slavery as we are chained to the opinions of others.
Good leaders make decisions and learn to live with the consequences of those decisions. They know that they will not always make the right decision, but realize there is often something far worse than a bad decision and that is no decision. William James states, “There is no more miserable human being than one in whom nothing is habitual but indecision.” Indecision has real costs in our lives as well as in our business.
When we begin to value the momentum created in decision making, we discover that even a bad decision propels us to the correct action eventually. When we begin to pay the price of indecision manifested as stagnation and confusion, we must find the courage to change this behavior while we still have the opportunity to choose. Loni Bergqvist observed, “He who rides the middle of the road gets hit from both ends.”
The Bible has much to say about decision making. God invites each of us to follow Him. This is the most important decision that we will make. As we invite Christ into our lives, He helps us with tough decisions and gives us an identity apart from the opinions of others. Do you want to put to death people pleasing and indecision? Fix your eyes on Christ, knowing that your decisions will divide but Christ will be honored. Decide today and choose life.
