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of judgement. The leader who is able to build and sustain success is the
leader who is consistently right in all rapidly changing situations.

Before making a decision, ask yourself:
Since I last thought about this what has changed about the people involved?

n To what degree have they developed new skills and abilities?
n To what degree have their attitudes, beliefs and expectations

developed?
n To what degree have their personal, economic and team

circumstances changed and to what degree are their personal
feelings relevant to the situation?
n Do I understand that “feelings” are part of the “facts” of any and
all situations involving people?
n How strong is their level of commitment, motivation and morale
now compared with how it was?
n What gives them their satisfaction today and how do their sources
of satisfaction relate to the present situation?

What has changed about the job to be done?

n How has the advance of technology affected this operation?
n How can we do things better and cheaper?

How has the situation changed?

n Is the decision more or less risky than it would have been earlier?
n What is the general economic situation?
n What is the situation in respect of our industry?
n How exactly have things changed?
n What is in our control and what lies beyond my power to act?
n What are our competitors doing?
n How can we do better?
n What are our customers demanding?
n How can we give them more than they demand at lower cost and

with higher quality?

Should I make this decision alone or seek consensus? (For detailed infor-
mation on when to use consensus – and when not to – see Key Management
Solutions.)

n Is this a similar situation to those in which I have been successful
before or do the changes make this a whole new ball game?

n Where in the total team, myself included, does the real expertise
lie?

n What specifically are the risks associated with this decision?

110 Key management questions