Mike 
I can’t stand it when another driver is tailgating me as I drive down the freeway at 60 mph (or faster). It happens far too often. Fortunately, I’ve never been rear-ended in one of these moments. But I know that the other driver doesn’t have enough time to react if I had to hit my brakes, and if that were to happen, I know that the results could be catastrophic. The thing that is most frustrating about this situation is that it’s completely avoidable. They just need to give a little more room so that they have enough reaction time.
As a leader, are you giving yourself enough reaction time? When a major decision needs to be made or when a crisis erupts, do you have the time and space you need in order to avoid an unnecessary collision? Having enough reaction time can make the difference between a bad decision and a great one, between adding to tensions that already exist and discovering a solution that everyone can support. At times conflict is inescapable, but sometimes you just need a little extra time to react.
If you want to have more reaction time, you will have to be intentional about it. You can do this by:
- Stopping and saying, “Let’s think about this,” even when others are pressing you to make a decision. Their urgency may be unwarranted, or even manipulative.
- Creating margin in your schedule. If you never have breathing room, you’re more likely to make a rash or hasty decision. You’re also likely to view the extra time to think about a decision as one more task on an out-of-control “to do” list.
- Seeking the counsel of others. This automatically slows the decision-making process, but it also has the advantage of getting different perspectives on the issue at hand.
