The Invisible Weight Slowing Down Every Leader
Unmade decisions silently drain your energy, clarity, and momentum.
This expert opinion by Robin Camarote, leadership and career coach, was originally published on Inc.com.
Let me tell you about my weighted vest. I bought it with the best of intentions and because I’m a total sucker for any new fitness trend. I figured it would turn my regular dog walks into power workouts. It’s the kind with little metal bars you can add or remove to dial up the intensity. Simple enough, right?
Except… I don’t use it. Why? It’s heavy. The few times I have strapped it on, what started out feeling manageable got heavy fast. Not because the vest changed, but because weight wears you down the longer you carry it. It’s the same with unmade decisions in business.
The Weight Of Unmade Decisions
Every unmade decision, whether it’s big or small, has weight to it. Some are obvious and top-of-mind. For example, if you’re choosing between two job offers and have a looming deadline, you know the pressure of being undecided.
However, most of your unmade decisions are like those little bars in the vest. They’re barely noticeable at first. “Should I reach out to that contact?” “Should I start a newsletter?” “Should we rethink our pricing?” Each one adds a little weight. Individually, they’re no big deal, but then they add up and can be exhausting.
The Impact Of Not Making Decisions
Unlike the vest, where you consciously add weight, your decision load builds silently. You don’t notice it until you’re slogging through the day, wondering why everything feels harder than it should.
In leadership, that weight doesn’t just slow you down; it drags down your entire team. Gallup estimates that disengaged employees cost the global economy $8.8 trillion a year in lost productivity. Indecisive leadership is one of the core contributors.
Read More: How Leaders Can Avoid Burnout
How To Address Indecisive Leadership
Inventory everything. Pull out a sheet of paper and list every decision you’ve been avoiding. A quick way to get started is to look at those things that have been on your to-do list for a long time. The ones you think about constantly and the ones floating around in the background. There’s an unmade decision (or five) tucked in there.
Once you’ve compiled your list, make a call on every single one. Decide now, or, more importantly, decide not to decide.
That “someday maybe” decision? Call it what it is. If you’ve been thinking about going back to school but there’s no plan, deadline, or urgency, decide that you’re not deciding this year. You’ll revisit it if X happens or on a specific date.
The Clarity That Comes With Making Decisions
The clarity you gain from this exercise is immediate. It’s like walking through the door and dropping the vest. You feel lighter and more focused. You can move through your day with more ease and energy.
