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term survival is the immediate goal. As you can imagine, being in this state
is not particularly conducive to making strategic, long-term decisions. This
is why emotional self-control is so important. Great leaders are aware of
their emotional state and are able to manage intense emotions so they can

make smart decisions. The goal, however, is not to take feelings out of the
decision-making process. It is simply to keep them from taking over and
losing emotional self-control.
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In more formal and complex decision-making situations, it is often
valuable to keep a record of how any decision was made, what information
it was based on, and who was involved. Enough information needs to be

kept to justify that decision in the future so that, if something does go
wrong and the decision is criticized, it is possible to show that the decision
was reasonable in the circumstance and given the knowledge held at the
time. Hindsight might not be able to correct past mistakes, but it will aid
improved decision-making in the future.

If possible, it is also best to allow time to reflect on a decision once it has

been reached. It is preferable to sleep on it before announcing it to others.
Once a decision is made public, it is very difficult to change.

The nature of decision-making can vary considerably depending on the
approach being taken. It can range from autocratic, where the “boss”
makes all the key decisions, to a very democratic team-based process. No
one correct approach exists, because the circumstances surrounding the

decision can vary considerably. Effective leaders need to know when to
use each approach, with the desired outcome to be a wise decision that
improves the performance and sustainability of the organization. These
approaches that can be taken by organizational leadership are illustrated in
Figure 16.

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Larina Kase, “Great Leaders Are Great Decision Makers, Graziadio Business Review, 2010 Vol. 13 #4.
David Kolzow 216