How do you make decisions on a good day, and how does that vary from how you make them on a bad day?
We have all had them. Those moments where everything that could go wrong does, where no project seems to align, and where nothing seems to be going the way you need it to. On these so-called ‘bad’ days, when you might feel frustrated, stressed, or despondent, it’s how you respond in those moments that can make all the difference.
On the flip side, when finding yourself having a ‘good’ day, you will likely be filled with more energy and optimism, and in these times, may present as a collaborative and motivating leader. You might feel like you can tackle things head-on and be more productive and democratic in your leadership.
The reality is, both good days and bad days happen to us all. And there are positives to be found in the way we might react in those more challenging instances and emotionally charged environments. The key, as a leader, when times are both testing and rewarding, is recognising how your impact affects those around you, in your teams, and within your business.
Let’s delve into that bad day. When was the last time things just did not seem to be working in your favour?
On a bad day, you might be slower to respond to your team, causing a bottleneck in big decision-making. You may become more critical of new ideas, shutting down those from your team. You may even find yourself identifying more risks than opportunities, and approaching hurdles with a negative mindset. Your impact as a leader here might be felt by the wider team, with a risk of demotivation and a strained energy rubbing off on other individuals.
As a leader, your behaviour is contagious, and individuals respond to the actions they observe in others because of mirror neurons. These are the brain cells that activate through observing the actions of others and help us to understand and interpret the behaviours and emotions in the people around us.
While it is quite likely that a bad day will leave you feeling that things are not going well, some positives can come as a result of facing a more contextually challenging environment. And it’s how you dial up this form of mindset and thinking, which can help you as a leader continue striving for success even on those tougher days.
Under high pressure, you might find that your decision-making is elevated positively. Perhaps, although more withdrawn, you channel your energy into becoming more decisive; you might even find that you become more action-oriented and have a sharper linear focus on getting the job done. By becoming more risk-averse, you may be able to spot potential gaps or areas that could cause issues later on, and in slowing the pace of decisions down, you might find new, more efficient ways of overcoming obstacles that you hadn’t identified before.
Now let’s think about how you respond as a leader when your energy is high…
Things are going well, and energy and morale within the wider business are good. You are feeling inspired, motivated, and collaborative in your approach to delegating tasks, making decisions, and managing the wider team.
On a good day, you will notably impact the feel-good hormones within your teams. The levels of oxytocin will be raised through collaboration and the feeling of being valued. Their reward hormone, dopamine, will activate, and when feeling positive and optimistic about our work and ourselves, this also increases serotonin levels which are mood boosting. On the flip side, on a bad day, it’s likely stress hormones, like cortisol, will sharpen focus for just short periods of time, but this way of working can shut down high-level cognitive functioning and activate fight or flight reactions to the stressful climate.
When in the mindset of a good day, it’s great to brainstorm with the wider business and to bring ideas from the outside in. You will likely feel less pressure to act on impulse and have an openness and willingness to consider new methods and ideas from the individuals you lead. You will have a positive impact on those around you, uplifting spirits and rallying the team to work towards common goals.
So, are there really any potential downsides in how you make decisions on a good day?
While this is the type of day all leaders want to have more of, and rightly so, sometimes our clarity when things are going well can become blurred. In this instance, I’m referring to the finite balance between leading with heart and leading in ‘haze’. When energy is high and we’re feeling optimistic, it’s easier to neglect potential risks that could form within our projects, workload, and within the team.
In those moments, here are questions to consider:
- Are you and your teams taking the time to assess all approaches?
- Are you still considering new ways of thinking? Or going down the well-trodden path of least resistance?
- Are your north star goals aligned?
When are you a better decision maker?
Whether you have had a bad or good day, every day is still working towards a shared goal.
The more self-aware you are, the better you’ll understand what’s going on for you and your impact on others, and the greater you’ll understand and influence those you lead.
At Imagine Beyond, we help leaders unlock their potential and get the best out of themselves and their teams. To find out more about how, get in touch with us here.
