“Do nothing, and nothing happens. Life is about decisions. You either make them or they’re made for you, but you can’t avoid them.”
―Mhairi McFarlane
Once you decide what you stand for and where you are going, reinforce it in as many ways as you can. Emphasize it in your verbal, written, non-verbal and third-party communication.
Go forward, and make decisions that help you implement your ideas. When Jack Welch joined GE as CEO in 1981, the company was assumed to be in good shape, but Welch saw it differently. He could see that the company was gradually losing its market value and one of the key reasons was too much bureaucracy. Instead of going along with the prevailing mood, Welch made a few unpopular decisions and created a “face reality” decree. By 1982, Welch had dismantled much of the earlier management and led an aggressive simplification and consolidation initiative. He implemented strategies that transformed GE into a a far more flexible and competitive organization. One of his primary leadership directives was that GE had to be No. 1 or No. 2 in the industries it participated in. He made ‘change’ a part of GE’s shared value. Under Welch’s leadership, GE increased market value from $12 billion in 1981 to $280 billion.
Because he stuck fast and resolute to his decisions, gradually things began to change and the company’s performance began to improve.
The Jack Welsh story is a good example of the premise that if you remain resolute in your decisions you believe in and continue to reinforce them, the deeper your understanding and confidence will become. When people on your team see you in that mode, they will start to increase the tempo, and you will see a positive effect. You will build momentum. However, the starting point is you as a leader. If you waver in your actions or decision making, you signal a doubt about your intentions and plans.
What signals are you giving to your team and to the universe?