The Quality of Your Leadership is Measured by the Quality of Your Decisions
One of the toughest truths of leadership is this:
A few poor decisions that adversely affect your people, your brand, or your customers — and your tenure will be cut short.
Yet, when we zoom in on why leaders struggle with decision-making, the reasons vary widely. But when I work with CEOs and senior leaders, I often see the same few root causes show up again and again.
Here are the four most common ones — and a powerful question for each to help you break out of it:
1. TRUST
Trust is the invisible currency of leadership. Without it, even the best strategies won’t take off. Leaders who struggle with trust often find themselves second-guessing the motives or abilities of people around them. On the flip side, if others don’t trust you, they will hold back their full commitment, challenge your decisions behind closed doors, or fail to support your initiatives.
The result? Decisions stall, progress slows, and your leadership effectiveness takes a hit. Trust doesn’t mean blind faith — it means creating a foundation where people believe in your intentions, your integrity, and your competence, and where you do the same for them.
👉 Question to break out:
What outcome becomes possible when I choose to lead from trust rather than suspicion?
2. AUTHENTICITY vs. IMAGE
Leaders often get stuck when they lead based on what they think others expect rather than who they truly are. They may avoid tough conversations, take setbacks as personal failures, or constantly try to prove their value by overexplaining or overcontrolling. This inauthentic way of showing up inevitably undermines trust and keeps them from being effective. Leadership becomes powerful when people feel they are led by someone who’s grounded, consistent, and human. It is authenticity that inspires loyalty, connection, and commitment.
👉 Question to break out:
Where am I not showing up authentically, and what would it look like if I did?
3. ENERGY
Many leaders are exhausted because they try to control everything. Micromanaging, overextending, and feeling responsible for every outcome quickly drains energy and clouds judgment. When leaders burn out, it’s not only their own clarity that suffers — their teams, their peers and possibly the whole organization feels the ripple effect of their fatigue. Sustainable leadership requires learning to let go, trusting others to rise to the occasion, and focusing energy on what only you can do.
👉 Question to break out:
What’s one responsibility I can let go of this week to create space for better decisions?
4. LACK OF CLARITY
In uncertainty, leaders can freeze. They may know what they don’t want, but not what they do want, keeping them stuck. A lack of clarity creates hesitation, delays, and missed opportunities — and in fast-moving environments, that can be more damaging than a wrong decision. Clarity doesn’t mean predicting the future; it means defining what matters most and continuing to move forward, without knowing all the steps in advance.
👉 Question to break out:
What if I already knew we were going to achieve our goals — what decision would I make today?
Strong decision-making doesn’t come from having all the answers — it comes from clearing the fog around trust, authenticity, energy, and clarity so your wisest choices can surface.
