Are you working in an organization where leaders exercise good judgment and make the right decisions? Do the leaders in your organization examine how they would be served by the status quo?
One of the most powerful questions one can ask oneself is “Would I choose the status quo if it weren’t so?” Inspiring leaders make good decisions by identifying strategic options.
Are you able to take appropriate risks? Are you skilled at generating options? Are you able to make better decisions by generating different scenarios and solutions?
The Status-Quo Trap
We all carry biases that influence the choices we make. For example, each of us is predisposed to perpetuating the status quo; it’s an inherent part of our thinking. Deep within our psyches, we are self-protective and risk-aversive.
In business, where sins of commission tend to be punished more severely than sins of omission, the status quo holds a particularly magnetic position.
The Antidote
You don’t want to maintain the status quo just because it’s comfortable. Do so only when it turns out to be the genuinely best choice. By becoming aware of the status-quo trap, you can lessen its pull by:
• Always reminding yourself of your objectives and examining how they would be served by the status quo.
• Never thinking of the status quo as your only alternative. Identify other options and use them as counterbalances.
• Asking yourself whether you would choose the status quo if it weren’t so.
• Remembering the desirability of the status quo will change over time.
Working with a seasoned executive coach trained in emotional intelligence and incorporating leadership assessments such as the Bar-On EQ-i and CPI 260 can help you become a leader who makes good decisions. You can become a leader who models emotional intelligence, and who inspires people to become happily engaged with the strategy and vision of the company.
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