Are Your Decisions Creating Unintended Consequences?

Are your decisions creating unintended consequences? If they are, you may need to review how much you need to control the decision-making process in your business.  Are you the only one who really makes decisions, or do you seek the involvement of others?

Authoritarian Tendencies

We are experiencing significant changes in global politics, with some leaders making sweeping decisions without proper collaboration. At one stage the British Prime Minister, Theresa May, boldly announced that she would take the UK out of the European single market without the need for agreement from Parliament. This was promptly challenged in court. The High Court ruled this unconstitutional, as the UK Constitution requires Parliament to debate and approve decisions to uphold democracy. As a result, she had to submit the decision to a parliamentary vote.

In the United States, a new President signed six controversial Executive Orders during his first week in office, bypassing collaboration. These actions triggered strong opposition and legal challenges. While his supporters praised his decisive approach, such unilateral decisions carry serious risks in a highly interconnected global economy.

In both cases, these leaders acted as if they held complete authority, which they did not. Refusing to collaborate and share decision-making leads to backlash and unintended consequences. History shows that authoritarian leaders who make decisions alone often face negative outcomes, leaving destruction in their wake.

Deferring Decisions

Let’s consider another example of the paradox between delegating decisions and taking responsibility. The European Union (EU) was created with the noble goal of uniting sovereign states to prevent wars among major European powers, achieving the longest period of peace in modern history. However, the EU’s decision-making process, which focuses heavily on collaboration and consensus, has led to unintended consequences. These include excessive bureaucracy, slow decision-making, and a lack of clear leadership. Decisions often get stuck in complex protocols and debates over competing interests, with no one willing to take responsibility because deferring decisions feels politically safer. This has resulted in growing backlash and rising opposition to the EU as a whole.

Wise Leadership and Authoritative Collaboration

Dr Dan Harrison explains the paradox of delegating decisions in a clear and insightful way through one of his graphs. Using his expertise in mathematics and applied psychology, he has created reports that highlight natural strengths and potential weaknesses, helping people improve their decision-making and motivation.

Wise leaders understand this paradox and balance the responsibility of making decisions with the benefits of collaborating. They know that collaboration often leads to better outcomes by gaining buy-in, increasing engagement, and encouraging active participation. Involving others not only improves decisions but also makes people feel valued and committed to the results.

A fitting proverb for this is: “Never hesitate to take counsel from appropriate people, but always take full responsibility for your own decisions.”

Leaders who practise Authoritative Collaboration take responsibility for decisions without falling into the trap of being authoritarian or controlling. They also avoid passing responsibility to others out of fear of blame. These leaders naturally delegate by guiding their teams while maintaining accountability. They inspire involvement, making people feel that tasks and projects are their own from start to finish.

In contrast, Avoiding Decisions is the opposite of Authoritative Collaboration. This happens when someone refuses to take responsibility for decisions and avoids consulting others.

The Paradox Of Collaborative Accountability

The Paradox of Collaborative Accountability is explained below. There are two primary traits:

• Authoritative which is the desire for decision-making authority and the willingness to accept decision-making responsibility.
• Collaborative which is the tendency to collaborate with others when making decisions.

If someone is highly authoritative but avoids collaboration, they may become Authoritarian: overly controlling and dismissive of teamwork. On the other hand, someone who is highly collaborative but avoids responsibility may Defer Decisions to others, fearing blame if things go wrong. Both extremes can cause problems.

In fast-changing environments, avoiding decisions altogether can be especially harmful. Many business leaders agree that making a poor decision is often better than making none at all. Effective leaders strive for a balance, using Authoritative Collaboration to achieve strong and thoughtful leadership.

Retaining your Best People

Many businesses today struggle to attract and retain talented employees. Surveys consistently show that strong leadership and management are more crucial than ever. To build a dynamic workplace with engaged employees who feel valued, businesses must ensure their managers are versatile and practise Authoritative Collaboration. This approach involves actively involving team members in decisions while providing clear direction and strong leadership.

Where do you stand in this paradox? Are your preferences and methods suited to your business’s current needs? What are the tendencies of your key managers? Are they performing effectively, or are there gaps in their approach? How well are you and your team avoiding the negative effects of unbalanced decision-making?

Many companies now use insights from the Harrison Paradox Report to better understand individual and team strengths and tendencies. It’s important to remember that a strong trait isn’t always a strength if it’s unbalanced. Unchecked traits can lead to unintended consequences. True strength comes from balancing opposing traits, creating versatility and combining the benefits of both.

By fostering balanced leadership, you can create a motivated team that feels valued, engaged, and ready to contribute to your organisation’s success.

If you are interested in exploring where you and your managers stand on this paradox and the 11 other paradoxes in the assessment just contact us at info@talent4performance.co.uk

Check out the short 150-second video about this paradox on LinkedIn:

Remember, especially as you consider making decisions . . . Stay Curious!

David Klaasen

©David Klaasen – March 2017