Trick or Treat

A few years ago, I found myself in a conversation with several leaders while attending a senior leader training school. It was during the Halloween season, and at a seasonal event, when one leader posed a question directed at me, "How do you view Halloween?" I thought it may be a trick question, but I played along anyway and said, "It is a day of hope and expectations!" My answer surprised him. He asked, “Why do you say that?” I continued, "Most children, clearly motivated by hope, get dressed up to go out in their neat costumes, carrying their candy buckets with the hopes of collecting massive potential rewards for dressing up and showing up. However, when the child gets to the door, an internal change occurs that shifts ‘hope’ to ‘expectation.’ When they blurt the words ‘trick or treat,’ they expect to get candy!" The "tell" is when they push their candy buckets forward. Their expectation is for the person behind the door, to do what they are supposed to do--hand out candy!

As we continued our line of conversation, we realized that people come to work every day, motivated by hope. They hope it’s going to be a great day, and that the days challenges and conflicts along with the drama that goes with them will be minimal. Most important, just like the “trick or treaters,” as they near the workplace door their hope shifts to expectation. They expect the leader behind the door to do what they are supposed to do---make leadership decisions!

Leaders struggling with decision making usually contend with deeper issues. They may be lacking knowledge of a personal decision-making strategy (DMS) or an Abbreviated DMS for quick decisions. Every leader must develop and employ a DMS; without it, one’s decision making is shifty and sketchy at best. Worse yet, many leaders suffer with being change averse, critique averse, conflict averse, risk averse, failure averse, and on the list goes, all of which require immediate attention because they will kill potential by killing people’s esprit de corps.

Sadly, each of the aversions listed above if not put and kept in check, will lead to the worst aversion of all and that being “Success Averse.” One of the best treats a leader can give their people is to meet their expectation of being a leader, owning a strong and solid decision-making strategy, and wherewithal to make decisions when needed. People depend on it, and leadership success depends on it. What’s your decision?