Decision making?

"To: The Great Leaders Who Have a Passion for Continuous Learning

Karl E. Weick in The Future of Leadership, writes a stirring chapter
on “Leadership as the Legitimation of Doubt” in which he introduces
the critical importance of sensemaking to highly effective leadership.
He shares the story of Warren Bennis, American scholar, organizational
consultant and author, widely regarded as a pioneer of the
contemporary field of Leadership Studies, at a moment which became a
turning point in the career. Bennis, then President of the University
of Cincinnati, was presenting a lecture at the Harvard School of
Education. During the Q&A he was asked by Paul Ylvisaker, the
School’s Dean, “Warren, do you really love being president of
Cincinnati?” After a long reflective pause which brought a deep quiet
in the room, he responded: “I don’t know.” About this Weick writes:

“Notice what Bennis did not say. He did not say, I can’t choose
between yes and no. the question of whether he loves being president
is not a problem in decision-making. It is deeper than that. It is
an issue of meaning, direction, and sense-making. Standing in front
of that Harvard audience, Bennis was facing a job, a university, a
calling, and his own leadership theories with a mixture of puzzlement,
ambivalence, and honesty.”

On the same theme Brian Arthur in a Harvard Business Review article
writes on sensemaking and its implications for 21st century leaders:

“Imagine you are milling about in a large casino with the top figures
in the high-tech-the Gates, Gerstners, and Groves of their industries.
Over at one table, a game is starting call Multimedia. Over at
another is a game called Web Services. In the corner is Electronic
Banking. There are many tables. You sit at one.

“How much to play”” you ask.
“Three billion,” the croupier replies.
“Who will be playing?” you ask.
“We won’t know until they show up,” he replies.
“What are the rules?”
“Those will emerge as the game unfolds,” says the croupier.
“What are my odds of winning?” you wonder.
“We can’t say,” responds the house. “Do you still want to play?”

It is this deep sense-making which great leaders create in their
professional and personal life. It is this unique and powerful
ability for deep reflection that provokes a pause to search for
direction, making sense of the situation and how it fits into an
overall plan. It surpasses the analytical and calls on intuition,
feelings and experiences. “It is about navigating by means of a
compass rather than a map” writes Weick. May you lead by your
compass on your journey, and enjoy the excitement and breadth of the
rich perspective is provides to your travels.

And have fun doing it!