So Many Decisions!

Some high-profile individuals are known for dressing the same way every day. Think of Steve Jobs always wearing a black turtleneck and jeans. The explanation is that this is one less decision for the busy leader to make each day.

Many church and ministry leaders are suffering from decision fatigue right now. There are more decisions, and many routine decisions have become more complex. A year ago, none of us were having to decide whether to open the doors for worship on Sundays. Even if that decision has been made, the list of other pending decisions feels like the waves of the ocean that just keep coming. 

So what can you do if you’re experiencing decision fatigue?

• Reduce the number of decisions that you have to make. I’m not saying the questions should go unanswered, but I am suggesting that someone else can answer them. Now is the time to delegate. If you have been deeply involved in worship planning worship, this may be the time to let that go to give you bandwidth for other decisions. Don’t hold onto decisions just because you’ve always done it that way.
• Expand the circle of people who are authorized to make leadership decisions. It’s the only way that you will be able to reduce your involvement. No, they won’t always make the same decision that you would make, nor will they always get it right. But if you have a competent team, trust and empower them to do their jobs.
• Choose the right time horizon for your decision focus. Week-by-week is too short for any meaningful planning. Looking a year into the future seems futile for most issues in the current climate. (Although some opportunities require a long-term perspective.) Pick a time frame that makes sense. Focus on programming decisions for the fall, not the entire school year. Consider a 3-month rolling budget rather than a 12-month one.
• Act rather than getting stuck in constant deliberation. “Paralysis by analysis” describes the desire to have all the information before choosing the path forward. But we never have all the information, and that’s especially true in our current environment. So get the right people in the room with the best information available, decide the right next step, and act.

I don’t expect you to be any less fatigued even if you take all these steps. But I am confident they will help you and your organization step into an uncertain future.

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