How to make decisions under severe pressure...

Leaders can feel a sense of hopelessness when under severe pressure. The tips shared in this insightful article may help.

1. Pause and think, you often have more time than you realise. It reminds me of a Viktor Frankl quote “between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom."

2. Take a step back and reflect on the situation. But beware: these situations can lead to cognitive tunnelling and decision inertia (the opposite of rushing), with a narrow focus relevant data could be missed.

​3. When every option appears terrible pick the best of those available. The consequences of delaying decisions can be even worse.

4. Project a calm and decisive persona because negative emotions can be contagious.

5. Leaders should encourage input from the team’s expertise; a culture of psychological safety will bring good ideas to the table. Communication needs to be short, sharp and clear.

6. Focus on the goal rather than the decision making. Team members on the ground should be empowered to form part of the decision making process because they possess first-hand information. Plans, drills and guidelines are important but adaptability will be crucial.

Link to full BBC article: How to make the right decisions under pressure