Making Decisions

While leading change I have found that having guidelines for the decision process to be helpful. Among them is that the effects of a decision can last much longer than the time it takes to make it. This is especially true when the decision involves people as opposed to things simply because people are connected to other people. So a first good rule is to “slow up” the decision process by the number of relationships the decision is likely to affect. It is key that you not see this as an inability at or hindrance to being decisive but the opportunity to bring more people into your way of thinking about the proposed decision.

I have had moments when, on the spot, I’ve made the decision to terminate the role a person is fulfilling knowing that my action would affect the individual and that their friends and co-workers would question my judgment. However, advance work in listening and discussion, while not removing every obstacle, at least gave others the rationale behind what I was doing. So again, a first good guideline for decision making during change: the more relationships that are involved the greater that deliberation is in order.

Discourse and Identity

Bethan Benwell and Elizabeth Stokoe give an excellent overview and discussion of the formation of human identity in their book, "Discourse and Identity." Beginning with understandings prevalent in the Enlightenment to the social constructivist approach of Post-modern thought, their work is a necessary read for those who seek to lead narratively.